


Windmills of Your Mind

by Dinkel



Series: Windmills [1]
Category: Southern Vampire Mysteries - Charlaine Harris, True Blood (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Friendship/Love, Godric Needs a Hug, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2020-02-07 12:42:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 137,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18620857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dinkel/pseuds/Dinkel
Summary: After being rescued from the Fellowship of the Sun, Sookie makes the acquaintance of a girl who's struggling with her own special abilities - and suddenly the story stops revolving around her. Or: Godric lives. Period. AU after 2x08 "Timebomb", Godric x OFC.





	1. Dream of a Witches' Sabbath

**Author's Note:**

> _Disclaimer : All characters, places, objects, concepts etc. that you recognise from the _Southern Vampire Mysteries _or_ True Blood _belong to Charlaine Harris or their respective copyright owners. This story is not meant to offend anyone and I do not make any money with it._
> 
>  _Author's Note : Well… I'm not really sure what I was thinking when I started to write this story. All I know is that I was looking through my chest full of plot bunnies and abandonned story ideas and none of them seemed to catch my attention – so what's a girl to do but to bring home a completely new bunny? (Which, as I hope you realize, is not the right modus operandi for actual pets.)_  
>  _Anyway, this story introduces an original female character into the_ True Blood _universe, firstly because I never really warmed up to Sookie Stackhouse and secondly because I wanted Godric to live. Period. I can only hope that you like her as much as I do (and that she isn't just another Mary Sue)._
> 
>  _Universe : For obvious reasons, this story is set mostly in the universe of the TV show _True Blood _. More specifically, it picks up at the end of episode 2x08 "Timebomb" and then veers off from there – while following the general framework of events. I've also taken the liberty of borrowing a little from the books, namely in regards to one character who didn't make it onto the screen._
> 
> **_Warnings : Blood, obviously. Violence, death, suicidal ideation and mentions of violence, suicide and rape._**
> 
> _Chapter Note : This is the only chapter written from Sookie's point of view, but then, as advertised, the story stops revolving around her..._

**1\. Dream of a Witches' Sabbath – Symphonie Fantastique – Hector Berlioz**

The scream was sudden and piercing and cut off as abruptly as it had erupted into the quiet murmur of conversation and the mental chatter that Sookie had been hard pressed to ignore. A moment of silence – then a new clamor of voices and thoughts.

Sookie looked around, trying to filter through the cacophony of information and find the source of the scream. She almost missed her, hidden as she was behind Stan's hulking frame, but then she spotted a slender arms clenched in the vampire's iron fist, scrambling legs behind his cowboy boots and dark jeans. It was by far not the first time Sookie had seen a vampire feed, but she had never seen a blood donor who looked quite so unwilling, terrified, an image only reinforced by the way Stan had silenced the girl with his huge paw pressed over her mouth. Sookie took an instinctive step forward, absently wishing that Jason had not just dragged Bill outside to apologize. She would have appreciated Bill's reassuring presence next to her (even if the vampire still owed her some answers).

Before Sookie could even take a second step, Godric was suddenly between them, his hand wrapped in a deceptively light hold around Stan's throat, forcing the cowboy away from his meal. "Retract. Your. Fangs." His voice was as calm as a cloudy night sky and his tone merely conversational, but the larger vampire looked like he had been placed on the electric chair. "Now."

Stan's incisors retracted almost soundlessly and his back bowed under the quiet force of Godric's grip. "Sheriff, …"

"This is the second time you've attacked my friend," Godric finished for him, trailing his hand down Stan's chest as he released the other vampire. "Or do you contend that she consented to this?"

"We came to an agreement while you were away, Godric. Right, sweetheart?" Stan defended himself, making a valiant effort of regaining his bravado.

The threat in his words came across loud and clear, but the girl hardly seemed to notice, her legs slipping out from under her and her head lolling to the side as if she was a marionette with its strings cut. She was still half hidden behind Godric's and Stan's legs, but Sookie thought the girl looked around her own age, maybe a bit younger, with long dark hair that fell in messy waves around her shoulders and exposed the vicious bite mark on her pale neck. Sookie inched a bit closer, trying to get a lock on the girl's mind. If she could just take a peek and find out how the girl had landed in this situation, she might be able to help her better. At the moment though, with everyone crowding close, craning their necks and speculating on the cause of the disturbance, there were just too many human minds sending interference.

"A little shy, that one," Stan offered and surreptitiously tried to wipe the blood out of his beard. "But -"

"That is enough," Godric interrupted him. "I am your sheriff and you will not lie to me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sheriff," Stan grit out between human looking teeth, doing his best to look smaller than he actually was.

Sookie had by now squeezed through to the front lines, almost within touching distance to the girl, though she could still not pin down her thoughts. She was about to speak up and remind Godric that improving vampire-human relations should certainly include actually helping humans and not just lecturing vampires when the ancient vampire preempted her.

"Is she yours?"

"Yeah, she's mine," Stan answered immediately, straightening a little and making to grab the girl's shoulder again. He reconsidered quickly, though, given Godric's protective stance, and settled on a mulish expression instead. If Sookie had been able to hear his thoughts, she was certain they would have included quite a few bad words.

Godric continued unperturbed, "And has she accepted your claim?"

Stan affirmed the question with a rather notable pause of hesitation, but Godric wasn't even looking at him anymore. Instead, his gaze was focused on the trembling girl as if willing her to look up at him and deny Stan's words.

Her eyes were wide and unfocused, though, and her hands were pressed to her mouth in a desperate attempt to contain the sobs that broke free as a low, insistent keening sound and Sookie had had about enough. "She's in pain and whatever agreement she gave was clearly given under duress! He probably glamoured her and she certainly doesn't accept his claim **now**."

"I do see your point, Miss Stackhouse," Godric agreed softly. "But unfortunately, our laws do not recognize glamouring as an impediment to a successful claim. Nor a human's word as more credible than a vampire's." He raised his hand appeasingly when Sookie made to interrupt. "Therefore, Stan has a choice to make."

"Choice?" Stan asked with barely contained fear in his voice.

"I believe I already outlined your punishment should you once again be found engaging in activities without the consent of your partner," Godric pointed out, absently picking a discarded jacket from the back of a chair and gently settling it over the girl's quivering shoulders. "I will not tolerate this kind of behavior in my area, and certainly not in my home."

Stan's eyes widened in something like panic. "Sheriff, please…"

"I wish you out of my area before dawn. You can either take this human with you - or your fangs," Godric said so very gently that the room took a collective moment to register the meaning of his words.

"Godric… you can't. Not for something like this!" Stan half-pleaded, half-argued, and Sookie winced internally at his choice of words. Telling the oldest vampire in the area, maybe in the state, if not the country, what he could and couldn't do seemed an exceptionally stupid thing to do.

"This is the second time you have questioned my judgement tonight," Godric pointed out mildly and the gathered vampires seemed to straighten into readiness, Eric and Isabel moving to flank him on either side and the others closing ranks behind them. Sookie felt Bill's cool hand come to rest on her shoulder and had to admit that it was comforting to know him at her side, even if she still didn't know why he had taken so long to come to her rescue. "I have no patience left for a third time. So make your choice. And leave."

Stan hesitated only a second before he bowed his head and ducked away from Godric's calm stare. "I rescind my claim on the girl and humbly accept your verdict, sheriff."

"Then go." Godric nodded his acceptance and the sea of vampires parted to let Stan through.

 _They're going to die._ It was no more than a flicker of a thought. There and gone again, and before Sookie could make any sense of it, another voice, an actual voice spoke up.

"Excuse me, everyone, if I could have your attention, please," the speaker looked vaguely familiar, but there had been so many new faces this evening that it was hard to place him. "I have a message for y'all, from Referend Steve Newlin." And then he pulled down the zipper of his jacket and Sookie had just enough time to suck in a horrified breath at the mess of chains and wooden spikes and explosives that crisscrossed his torso before everything around her exploded into death and chaos.

v---v

When Sookie could make sense of the world again, she was buried under Bill's deader than usual weight, which caused a second wave of panic to crash down on her.

"Bill! Bill! Wake up! Bill!" she shouted, pushing on his shoulder until she managed to slip out from under him. "Bill, can you hear me?"

"Sookie. I'm fine." That was clearly a well-meaning lie, though, for Sookie could see the bleeding holes in his chest where he had been hit by shrapnel – shielding her fragile human shell in the process. If she hadn't been in love with him already, this would have been the moment he won her over completely. "Are you unharmed?"

"I'm a bit shaken up, but we can worry about that later. Why aren't you healing?"

"Silver," Bill grunted and tried to sit up, but Sookie rested a hand on his sternum and pushed him back down. "I'll recover once it's removed. Sookie… what are you doing?"

Sookie had leaned over Bill's chest and fastened her mouth to the nearest bullet hole with every intention of pulling the silver out this way. It seemed the most natural and reasonable thing to do. Sure, there was a difference between sucking on a smoking wound and nursing on the neat puncture marks Bill would tear into his own flesh, but this was still her Bill and his blood. She felt no compunction to be squeamish and Bill, after his first startled reaction, relaxed and let her do her work until she had drawn enough silver from his body that the rest was pushed out by his supernatural healing powers.

When Bill was almost completely recovered, Sookie managed her first real breath after all hell had broken loose and promptly used it to call out to her brother, screaming Jason's name and swiveling her head from right to left until he finally stumbled into her view and gave her a shaky thumbs-up.

With all her immediate loved ones accounted for, Sookie allowed herself a moment to gather her strength and build up her shields before she took a look at the destruction. Parts of the ceiling had collapsed, metal support beams sticking out at odd angles and the ceiling material raining down in clumps and crumbs. The pristine white chairs had been overturned and were now as blacked as the rest of the room. One of the wall lights was still illuminated, but with the torn electricity cables sending off sparks that seemed like a small miracle. And between all that, the air was filled with dust and the smell of blood and the moans of wounded humans and vampires. She couldn't tell how many were dead, truly dead, but she saw at least one puddle of dead vampire goo. From the location, it might have been Stan.

"Everyone, please," Isabel called for attention, Jason stepping up next to her and raising his arm, the way he would have done on the football field to call his team to order. "Hey, y'all listen up."

"They may come back," Godric added and Sookie was glad to see him unharmed. "Go to the Hotel Carmilla. They have been alerted. Security is in place."

Vampires and humans alike began to shuffle out, some leaning on each other for support. Bill grasped her hand to tow her out as well. She followed along for a few steps, almost stumbling over the remains of a chair, before she remembered. "Wait, where's the girl?" she demanded, twisting around and craning her neck to where the girl had been.

She saw an overturned table instead, its legs cracked and twisted, shards of glass embedded in the surface and dotted all around. They must have come either from the window or from the picture frame that had crashed to the floor. The picture had been some modern piece that now looked torn and slightly singed but strangely still went rather well with the décor. A sofa had somehow ended up blocking Sookie's direct line of sight; its upholstery was dirtied and torn from the bomb splinters and one side sagged lower than the other.

"Eric," Godric said and whether they had some way of communicating mentally or if Eric was just so attuned to his maker's wishes, the Viking immediately stepped around the sofa and scooped the unconscious girl up into his arms.

"She knew what was going to happen," Sookie whispered to Bill as they followed Godric and Eric outdoors. "Do you think -"

"Miss Stackhouse, my driver will take you and Mr. Compton to the hotel," Godric interrupted her, motioning to the sleek black car that was waiting for them on the curb.

"But she -"

"This is not the time or the place for such a discussion," Godric interrupted her again, pointedly opening the car door for her. "You're welcome to join us in our rooms after you've had a chance to freshen up."

With that he shot up into the night sky, Eric following close behind with the girl still in his arms, leaving Sookie and Bill on the pavement in front of the smoldering remains of his home. "What -"

"We can talk about this later," she was interrupted for the third time as Bill bustled her into the car and pulled the door closed behind them.

He refused to answer her questions for the rest of the short drive, instead checking her over with such thoroughness that she was glad for the partition that separated them from the unseen driver. And truly, she had to admit that there were worse ways to spend the time than with her lover utterly focused on assuring her wellbeing.

v---v

An hour later, Sookie smoothed down the red and white checkered summer dress she had changed into, brushed a curl of her blond hair back over her shoulder and exchanged another look with Bill before she knocked smartly on the door to Eric's room.

Godric swung the door open before Sookie even had the time to drop her hand and motioned them inside. "Miss Stackhouse, Mr. Compton, please come in."

The hotel room looked almost exactly like their own, down to the black and white décor, the glass-fronted fireplace and the leather furniture, though the layout was perhaps a little more spacious with an additional few feet between the seating area and the walls of the room. Eric was seated on one of the low, quadratic footstools, somehow managing to look just as graceful and at ease on this non-descript piece of furniture as in any other given situation. He glanced up briefly at Sookie's entrance and acknowledged her new ensemble with an appraising up-and-down look. But then he once more focused his attention on the girl, who was now sat in one of the armchairs, Godric hovering protectively behind her. She had changed into one of the fluffy hotel robes and her hair was still slightly damp from the shower, curling over her back in a long dark waterfall. Sookie thought that she still looked a little shell-shocked, her gaze fixed on Godric as if he was her only salvation and her legs tucked up underneath her to present the smallest possible target.

Falling back on her good upbringing, Sookie strode across the room to introduce herself, gently extending her telepathy as she did so. She found the three black holes - vampire minds - immediately, but the girl's mind was somehow harder to grasp. She knew it was there, she could feel it, but it was like her thoughts were hidden behind a milk glass wall – no, behind a waterfall. Somehow, the girl's mind was surrounded by water.

"Hi, I'm Sookie. And you are?" she held out her hand expectantly, feeling her mouth stretch into her familiar crazy grin.

The girl looked up at her, finally tearing her eyes away from Godric, but actually shrank back from the offered handshake. "Liv. I'm sorry I don't like to be touched."

"Oh, of course, you poor thing," Sookie agreed, pulling another footstool over so that she could sit down close to Liv. "But Stan won't hurt you anymore. You're safe now."

"Of course he won't. He's dead," Liv answered dully. "As are the others, Abigail and Catherine and Turner and that vampire with the neck tattoo – I don't even know his name."

"Paolo," Godric supplied, hovering rather uncertainly at her shoulder. "He went by Paolo Conte."

"Were they your friends?" Sookie asked softly, wanting to reach out but refraining at the last moment.

"No, not really," Liv answered, irritably rubbing her teary eyes. "I only met them a couple of times… Abigail wanted to be a lawyer; she was worried about passing the bar. She was just looking for a way to relax, distract herself… I'm sorry, I thought I was done crying."

"You don't have to apologize for that," Sookie assured her. "I think we're all still in shock after everything that's happened…. Oh my gosh, those bite marks look deep! You must be in pain!"

Liv's hair had fallen away from her neck as she had tried to staunch her tears, revealing the deep red puncture wounds that Stan had torn into her flesh, and Sookie reached out without thought to give Liv's hand a comforting squeeze. Her fingertips only made the lightest contact, barely a touch, but the other girl immediately went rigid, the water in her mind churning up, swirling and darkening dangerously until it seemed more like a flashflood than the almost serene waterfall it had been before.

Then Godric was between them, easily scooping the other girl into his arms and carefully setting her down when Liv sucked in a harsh breath and twisted in his hold. She stumbled a few steps away from him before she came to a halt with her back pressed against the wall.

"I think Liv might need a moment," Godric suggested mildly, never even turning to look at Sookie. "Please remain seated, Miss Stackhouse."

Bill's cool hand slid into hers and he pulled her over to the couch to sit down next to him, but Sookie was far to rattled by the images in Liv's mind to sit and wait quietly for the answers to the many questions she had. "What's going on? How did she know about the attack? And why can't I read her mind?" If she had been standing, she might have stomped her foot, but as it was she settled on skewering Godric with her glare. Not that he did her the courtesy of noticing – his attention was completely focused on Liv and Liv alone. Sookie was starting to revise her idea of how well they knew each other.

Liv had sunk down with her back against the wall and her legs pulled up to her chest, looking small and miserable. Godric was at her side in the blink of an eye, holding out a small bottled water in offering. He remained as still as a statue, patiently waiting for her to accept the bottle, before he shifted to sit down next to her, a modest hand's width between them. Liv unscrewed the bottle cap and took a small sip. "Thank you."

"Well, is no one going to answer my questions?" Sookie demanded at the end of her tether and honestly wondering why Godric had even invited them to his rooms if not to discuss what had happened in a more private setting.

Liv murmured something, too soft for her human ears, but it made a smirk appear on Eric's face.

"Excuse me?" Sookie questioned and turned expectantly to Bill, hoping that he would explain, but he just pressed his lips into a constipated frown and squeezed her hand tightly.

"Liv just pointed out that if you wanted your questions answered, it would only be fair of you to tell us why you were expecting to be able to read her mind," Eric finally answered with a mocking arch of his eyebrows. "So tell us, what makes you so special?"

"You know perfectly well that I'm a telepath, Eric Northman," Sookie snapped, feeling suddenly on the defensive and not liking it in the least. "But I didn't think ' _They're all going to die'_ moments before someone detonated a bomb, so I don't think I should be the focus of this discussion."

"I thought you couldn't read my mind," Liv asked, calmly meeting her angry gaze across the room. "Do you need skin contact, too? I don't remember if you touched me at Godric's house."

"No, though skin contact sometimes helps me focus," Sookie replied, staring back with more interest. "What did you mean with 'too'? Are you a telepath as well?"

"Oh, no. No, I'm… clairvoyant?" her voice lifted at the end and she seemed to look to Godric for help. "Only not with crystal balls or cards or palm reading."

"That must be useful," Sookie blurted out before she could think better of it.

"Not really," Liv replied, a shadow passing across her deep blue eyes. "I only see how people die."

"Jesus Christ, shepherd of Judea!" Sookie exclaimed. "That's so much worse than hearing how the guy waiting behind you in line at the bank wants to suck your toes."

She wanted to bite her tongue as soon as the words had escaped her mouth, but at least she had managed to startle a small laugh out of the other girl. "I'm sorry I've been pestering you with all these questions. You must think me a right bitch."

Liv smiled sweetly. "You were protective of your friends… and curious. I can respect that."

"On that topic, I'm sure you can understand why it's best to keep such information confidential," Eric said, sending her a pointed look that Sookie found honestly quite offensive. She didn't need Eric to lecture her on keeping secrets, thank you very much. She could fill a library with all the secrets she heard and never told another soul.

Before she could tell Eric exactly that, the vampires in the room seemed to perk up simultaneously, intense looks of concentration on their faces. "Miss Stackhouse, Liv, I apologize, but it seems we have been summoned," Godric explained as he walked at a human pace towards the door. "Please feel free to call for refreshments or something to eat."

"Godric," Liv called, quickly pushing to her feet and intercepting the vampire before he could open the door.

"I'm sorry you got hurt today, Liv," Godric murmured, almost too softly.

"You already said that and it's still not your fault," Liv reminded him with a soft sigh, lightly caressing his arm. "I'm glad you're back. Are you –"

Sookie missed the rest of their conversation as Bill, bless his undead heart, took the time to bid her a proper goodbye. He stepped close and brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear, dusting a soft kiss over her rosy cheek.

"Will you be alright here with your new friend?"

"We'll be just fine," Sookie assured him. "But who summoned you? Shouldn't I be coming with you?"

"These are vampire matters. I fear your presence would only complicate things," Bill explained, consoling her with another kiss. "I won't be long."

Eric and Godric had already disappeared by then and Bill followed them quickly, leaving Sookie alone with her new friend, as Bill had called her, this strange, sad girl whose disability was even worse than her own.

"I'm just going to get dressed. I think the menus are over there," Liv said, motioning vaguely towards a Tru-Blood-stocked minibar before disappearing into the bathroom.

When Liv came back, she had changed into clothes that obviously weren't her own. The linen pants and the grey long-sleeve looked like they might belong to Godric and hung loose on her fine-boned frame. Still, she was undeniably beautiful, slender, with gentle curves in all the right places and wavy hair the color of dark chocolate that lent a striking contrast to her creamy complexion and large blue eyes. It was easy to see why Godric was so taken with her.

"How about some sandwiches?" Sookie suggested after a short perusal of the one page menu that was attached to four pages of drinks and _drinks_. "Or we could order something from the 24-hour breakfast menu."

"Sandwiches sound good. I know they have human staff here, but with how keen vampire noses are, the food is sure to be a little… bland," Liv answered and picked up the room phone to order something for both of them.

"You seem to know a thing or two about vampires," Sookie noted, sitting back down on the couch and waiting for Liv to take a seat as well. "Was Stan your first?"

"Stan wasn't mine and I certainly wasn't his," Liv retorted before sending her an apologetic smile. "Sorry."

"Oh, honey, of course you're still a little tetchy after what happened to you!" Sookie tried to soothe her. "I can't even imagine what it must feel like to be glamoured and made to do something that you would never agree to otherwise. I'm so glad it doesn't work on me."

"He didn't glamour me," Liv replied, absently rubbing the fang marks on her neck. "I don't think Stan was one for charm. Why should he bother to sweet talk me when he could squash any of my attempts at resistance with the strength of his little finger? I'm not sure how to feel now that…"

She broke off and they sat for a while in silence until there was a knock on the door, accompanied by the call of "Roomservice". Sookie got up to accept their meal, quietly relieved that it wasn't Barry on the other side of the door. She didn't have any money on her for a tip, so she gave the young man her brightest smile and thanked him profusely. She could tell that he wasn't impressed, though, and valiantly ignored his less than flattering thoughts on her person.

Instead, she focused on the sandwiches, which were cut into triangles, arranged in a tidy stack and looked very good to her hungry mind. She took a pastrami sandwich for herself and for a few moments, they quietly munched on their respective meals.

"Is anyone else in your family telepathic?" Liv asked timidly after she had finished her own turkey-avocado sandwich.

"My grandpa was like me, but no one else in my family," Sookie answered softly, choosing not to mention her recent encounter with Barry just yet. "Sometimes I really wish someone was there to tell me what to expect or how to deal with peckish vampires."

"I know what you mean," Liv said softly. "Though you seem to have found yourself a good one. Is he kind to you?"

"Yes, Bill's a true gentleman," Sookie replied, feeling a loving smile spread over her face. "And I could never be with a human man – with someone whose every thought I can hear. Being with Bill is exciting and dangerous at times, but when it all gets too much I can wrap myself in the quiet of his mind and just… recharge."

"You can't hear the thoughts of vampires?" Liv asked. "That must be quite a relief."

Sookie took a large bite from her sandwich, trying not to chafe at the insinuation that she was only attracted to Bill because of his lack of readable brainwaves. She'd gotten good at ignoring these thoughts when they crossed the minds of her friends – Sam, Tara, even Jason – it wasn't fair to read them into Liv's words just because she couldn't peek at her thoughts. "Vampires must be a relief for you, too, seeing as they're already dead, in a manner of speaking."

"I still see how they died, how their human lives ended," Liv answered softly. "Or how they will find the true death if it's imminent. But I suppose it's… easier. With humans it's a barrage of possibilities, one more horrible than the next, slowly narrowing down until there's only one option left – and I can't prevent any of it."

"So when I touched you…"

"Don't ask me," the other girl pleaded. "You do not want to know. Believe me."

And the expression in her eyes was so earnest and sorrowful that Sookie couldn't help but believe her. "And when Stan grabbed you, you saw the explosion." Sookie concluded and Liv gave a tight nod.

"Do you want to talk about what he did to you? How you ended up in this mess?"

Liv shrugged lightly, putting the remaining half of her second sandwich back on the plate. "It's really not as bad as you seem to imagine. I only met Stan twice and Godric intervened both times before anything worse could happen. I don't know why Stan attacked me – he said I smelled fantastic, that he would make me his and all that nonsense, but Godric has very strict rules about treating the humans in his area with respect and he warned Stan the last time that he would have his fangs if he ever found him feeding on someone without their consent again."

There was a brief silence as Liv took a sip of water, but Sookie had a feeling Liv would continue on her own. She once again tried to sneak a peek into Liv's mind, but only encountered another wall of water.

"Godric was really sweet to me afterwards. He made sure I was alright, even offered to take me to the hospital, and he apologized," Liv picked up her story, seeming lost in thought. "And then he went missing. When Isabel called me tonight to tell me that he was back, I just wanted to see with my own eyes that he was okay. I didn't expect to run into Stan before I even made it past the hall, but… I guess you know the rest."

"Godric rescued me from a really large rapist who probably would have killed me too," Sookie offered her own confidence. "And then he rescued humans in that church plus a whole lot of vampires. Without him this evening could have been a hundred, a million times worse."

"I'm sorry that happened to you. It must have been frightening to be held hostage by those fanatics," Liv said with soft compassion and Sookie found herself recounting the whole sorry tale of her failed reconnaissance mission, just glad for Liv's sympathetic ear and comforting company.


	2. O Fortuna

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I thought I should post this now to give you a better idea of where this story might be going. So - enjoy!_   
>  _FYI: I'm planning to update this story about once a week and at this juncture, I've outlined twenty-six chapters._

**2\. O Fortuna – Carmina Burana – Carl Orff**

By the time Sookie had finished her story - adding several side notes about living with her disability, as she called it, and her relationship with Bill - it was approaching on six and Liv felt tiredness creep up on her though she refused to give in to it just yet. She had been too shaken earlier and Godric had been distracted with making sure his nest mates had everything they needed for the next few days so that they had barely exchanged a handful of words. Sookie's report had answered at least some of her questions, but she wanted to hear from Godric himself that he was well and unharmed - and make sure that his answer wasn't just a white lie.

There was a knock on the door and upon investigation they found that Bill had come to collect Sookie. Liv wanted to ask when she could expect Godric to return, but Sookie started to pepper her lover with questions before the door was fully open and didn't stop even as Bill shepherded her into their own room just across the hall. After a brief pang of disappointment, it seemed almost better that way. She didn't know Bill, who had remained taciturn and brooding during their earlier visit, but she had gotten the distinct impression that he and Eric did not get along – and Godric trusted Eric's judgement.

She cast a look over her shoulder at the red blinking numbers on the microwave that completed the small but well-stocked minibar and her heart skipped a beat. It was too close to sunrise and Godric… There had been a flicker of a vision stuck in her mind for the last fortnight, an anomaly without context that hadn't made any sense but which had refused to be dismissed, and she felt a dark sense of foreboding rise in her chest again, for the second time that night, as the images slotted into their horrible place.

She started to run. Her bare feet slapped on the cold floor and the too long legs of Godric's pants made her slip once or twice, but she didn't slow down. There was no time; the sun would rise any minute and... She followed the signs and the memory of her vision up to the roof and to the same helicopter landing pad she had seen the last time she had brushed hands with Godric, when he had walked her home after Stan had attacked her the first time.

She had thought, hoped, prayed that it was just a fluke as the vision had swirled away into memories of Godric's first death, more than 2000 years in the past. But now she found the scene set exactly as in that brief glimpse: the smooth concrete of the flat roof, the red circle of the landing pad, the towering skyscrapers all around that would do nothing to shield Godric once the sun peeked over the horizon. Eric was kneeling before his maker and though she couldn't understand the words he said, they were familiar to her, as were the bloody tear tracks painted on his cheeks, the broken cadence of his sobs.

"You should not be here," Godric said when he spotted her. "I don't want you to see this."

"I already saw it," Liv pointed out, surprised at the anger in her own voice.

She normally knew better than to invest any personal feelings in her visions. Over the years, she had developed a system of preventative measures to avoid skin contact, to avoid her curse: she always wore long-sleeved clothes even in the sweltering heat of Texan summers; she eschewed public transportation and crowded spaces in general and she had picked a profession where a refusal to shake hands and an avoidance of touch was generally attributed to overcaution or at worst mysophobia. And if she was still pushed into a vision, she reminded herself that she was not responsible or the cause of what she saw, that she could not prevent it any more than she could prevent the sun from rising in the east.

But now all that went out of the window and she couldn't care less. "Personally, I always thought I'd drown myself, but I understand that isn't really an option for you. Oh well, throwing myself of the roof will do the trick just fine."

"Reverse psychology," Godric noted. "I read about that. As I understand, it is most effective on children. I'm not a child, Liv."

"No, you're just acting like one," she retorted, walking over to the edge of the building and risking a glance downward. "I'll call 9-1-1 beforehand – I don't want to traumatize anyone with the mess."

Godric was suddenly in front of her. "You don't mean that and you won't change my mind."

"If I hadn't interrupted, Eric would have insisted on meeting the sun with you and you would have commanded him to leave," Liv shot back. "He's spent a millennium at your side and you can't even take the time to explain your reasons to him or give him a chance at a proper goodbye. You're being a complete ass right now."

"Godric, please," Eric interjected, slowly getting to his feet as the first wisps of steam started to rise from their skin. "Please."

Liv reached out for the dark haired vampire, carefully resting her hand on his cool cheek and submerging herself in the swirl of her visions. She saw that very rooftop and Godric pulling off his shirt as he slowly walked towards the rising sun, steam rising from his pale skin before his slender figure was engulfed in blue flames. But that vision was interwoven with cruel snapshots of Godric's last moments as a human, his Roman master choking him, beating him, raping him as he slowly drained him of all blood, leaving fang marks all over his young body.

"You're not resolved, Godric," Liv pleaded, her voice softening. "You're hungry and tired and you're not thinking clearly. Please just come inside and let us take care of you. Please don't make me add another person whose death I couldn't prevent."

"I'm hurting you," Godric murmured, brushing the tears from under her eyes, and then looked to Eric. "I never wanted to hurt anyone again. Go inside, Eric."

"Not without you," Eric insisted, taking Godric by the shoulders. "Jag vandrar vid din sida genom världen… genom mörkret. Alltid.(1) Come with me, please."

Liv didn't know what Eric had said to his maker, but she felt the rigidness go out of Godric's posture and when she grasped his hand and started towards the stairwell he allowed himself to be moved. Eric took a hold of Godric's other hand and together they pulled him into the relative safety of the shaded stairwell. The door closed behind them with a muted bang and Liv had to lock her knees and remind herself that she had to be strong a little while longer.

"Let's get the two of you into bed," she said, clutching Godric a little tighter both to keep herself upright and to keep him from turning back around. "Eric, I need you to stay awake, please. You're too heavy for me to move by myself if you drop dead now."

Eric obediently jerked his head up again, making an effort to look slightly more alert, and the three of them trudged with moderate haste back to Eric's rooms, through the sitting area to the bedroom. Liv pushed Godric down on the bed and knelt in front of him to take off his shoes. She folded back the bedcovers, adjusted the pillows and carefully maneuvered him into bed, cradling Godric's head to her chest and carding her fingers slowly through his short hair.

"You don't have to keep holding me. I know it hurts you to touch me," Godric protested weakly.

"What hurts me is that you think you have to bear all this pain alone. You don't, and I will gladly hold you all day if that makes you feel even slightly better," Liv explained, leaning over him to press a small kiss to his forehead. "Now hush, I'm not leaving and you both need rest."

The bed jostled slightly as Eric got in on the other side. She glanced up briefly and found that Eric had quickly washed the blood from his face and undressed down to a pair of black boxer shorts. If the situation had been different, she might have been a bit more self-conscious of sharing a bed with such a fine exemplar of the male anatomy, but as it was she barely startled as Eric reached over her and pulled them both against his chest, arranging Godric into the curve of his body with centuries' of practice and not letting Liv's presence discomfit him in any way.

"Promise me you will still be here when I wake," Eric demanded and Godric gave the tiniest nod. "I promise."

Liv closed her eyes. With the constant skin contact her curse was in overdrive and buried her in a rush of jarring and disconcerting visions that seemed to pull her into every which direction. Seeing with her eyes only added to the sense of displacement and made her feel dizzy and light-headed on top of everything else. She absently played with Godric's soft hair and allowed her hands to glide along the lean muscles of his back, up and down, up and down, in what she hoped was a soothing motion, while she tried to remind herself that what she was seeing was a long time in the past, that Godric had survived, revenged, prospered and forgiven. She still wanted to punch Godric's asshole of a maker in the face.

Then she was suddenly looking at the back of her eyelids as Godric died for the day. Liv remained still for a moment, concentrated on her breathing and tried to master her nausea. When that didn't work, she rolled away from the two vampires, lurched out of bed and stumbled towards the bathroom, banging her hipbone into the door frame. She hardly noticed the brief instant of pain as she lost the contents of her stomach into the toilet and then dissolved into a mess of sobs and dry heaves, stricken by Godric's almost suicide and the horrid impressions she had received of his past.

"Liv?" Eric questioned, startling her horribly as his voice suddenly sounded from behind. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Just don't touch me," she whispered, flushing the toilet and then resting her forehead against the cool porcelain of the seat. "You should go to sleep. I'm fine – I'm going to be fine."

"You're shaking," Eric pointed out gently, but in the small bathroom and to Liv's already frayed nerves his presence was too overwhelming.

"Please go to sleep, Eric," she pleaded. "I just need quiet right now."

"All right," the tall vampire agreed, still in that same uncharacteristically soft voice. "But wake me if you need anything."

"Thanks," Liv whispered, closing her eyes again as Eric shut the bathroom door from the outside with a soft click.

She was too exhausted and in too much pain to feel relieved, exactly, but with Eric gone she could go back to her breathing exercises and try to rebuild her barriers. An indefinite while later, she was at least confident enough to leave the immediate vicinity of the toilet, wash her face and brush her teeth with one of the complimentary tooth brushes.

Feeling slightly more human, she peeked in on the sleeping vampires, finding that Eric had once again wrapped himself around his maker and that both of them were thankfully still and finally dead to the world. They looked peaceful and if you didn't pay too close attention to the way their chests didn't move you might think they were just lost to a deep and dreamless sleep. Liv hoped their rest was as close to that as was possible for vampires.

She was getting a bit tired herself, but at the same time she felt raw, as if the open wounds of her soul had been turned to the outside and were exposed with not even a veil of protection. Everything, real and imagined, chafed. She pulled off her borrowed clothes and turned on every faucet in the bathroom, at the sinks, the bidet and at the bathtub/shower combination. Water made her think of her mother and though those memories were not exactly positive, they always helped her to remember who she was and who she wanted to be. She needed that right now.

After a few minutes she twisted her hair into a high bun and secured it with a scrunchie, then turned off the water at the sink and the bidet and stepped into the shower, allowing the warm water to cascade over her back and shoulders. She took her time soaping up and made sure to thoroughly scrub her feet after her bare-footed excursion through the hotel.

Freshly showered and dressed once more in the clothes Godric had lent her, she put the bathroom back to order and then took a few extra moments to clean the bite mark on her neck and cover it with one of the complimentary band-aids from the medicine cabinet. With any luck, it wouldn't scar.

Once back in the bedroom, she considered the tableau for a moment, wondering if she should camp out on the sofa instead. But the idea of leaving Godric's side, even if he was fast asleep and had Eric to keep him company, didn't sit well with her and so she reclaimed her earlier spot, sandwiching the dark-haired vampire between Eric and herself. Tucked in close and wrapped in the bedcovers to counter the unnatural coolness of her bedmates, she drifted off to sleep without further ado.

* * *

(1) I walk with you through the world… through the darkness. Always.


	3. Isle of the Dead

**3\. Isle of the Dead – Op. 29 – Sergei Rachmaninoff**

Liv blinked her eyes open, rolling onto her back and wondering what had woken her. A moment later, she heard another knock and someone calling her name.

"One moment please," she called back, throwing off the covers.

Godric and Eric were fast asleep next to her and didn't even shift when she got out of bed. It was probably still early in the day and the light-tight blinds cast the room into absolute darkness. Thankfully, the motion-activated lights flickered on as soon as she took the first few tentative steps and she made it safely to the sitting room, closing and locking the bedroom door behind her.

When she opened the outer door, she was somehow unsurprised to find Sookie on the other side with a bright smile pinned to her lips and sporting another summer dress that highlighted her curvy figure and her impressive décolleté. Her makeup was light and subtle, carefully chosen to augment her natural beauty rather than obscure it, her hair a wavy luminescent curtain, and her skin smooth and sun-kissed – all in all, Liv thought, she looked like a proper Southern belle.

"Good morning! Did I wake you?" Sookie greeted her blithely. "My sense of time is all out of whack since I started dating a vampire. But Bill arranged for a rental car plus a travel coffin for himself so we're about to leave back to Bon Temps and I wanted to say goodbye and give you this." She held out a pile of folded clothing, complete with a still wrapped pack of underwear and a pair of flip-flops from the hotel boutique. "I had hoped to see you at the breakfast buffet downstairs, but when you didn't show up I realized that you didn't really have anything to wear in public. So I brought you one of my dresses and a few essentials from the gift shop."

For a moment, Liv was struck speechless by this unexpected act of kindness from someone she had only just met the day before, but then she thanked Sookie profusely and didn't bother to correct the few erroneous conclusions Sookie had drawn.

"Thank you, that's really thoughtful of you. I'll pay you back of course, let me just…" Liv said, already turning around to get her purse when she remembered that she had lost it last night.

"It's no trouble," Sookie stopped her with another bright smile. "I charged it to our room and Eric's paying for that, anyway."

It seemed a little presumptuous, perhaps, but then again, Liv didn't know the details of their arrangement and it had been a kind gesture regardless.

"Will you give me your address so that I can send you the dress after dry cleaning?" Liv asked instead.

"Sure, do you have pen and paper?" Sookie asked, trying to peer past her into the room. "I think there's a pad next to the telephone in the sitting room."

Liv had to move quickly to block her entrance. "I don't know if Eric and Godric would be comfortable with someone else in the room while they're resting," she said apologetically. "I'll grab the pad for you."

She withdrew into the room and closed the door almost completely, but still felt the need to hurry. Sookie struck her as someone who was perhaps a little too inquisitive and self-entitled for her own good and, sympathies aside, she was not going to violate Godric's and Eric's trust just so that Sookie could satisfy her curiosity. When she returned Sookie had already inched the door open and was craning her head around the threshold.

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind if we just sat down in the sitting room for a moment," she wheedled. "They know me after all."

"I just wouldn't feel right about it, sorry. Vampires are very private about their resting place, aren't they?" Liv replied, thrusting the pad and pen into her hands.

"Oh yes, of course I understand. Bill wouldn't tell me where he goes to sleep at first, either, and I guess you don't know them well enough to make such a decision for them," Sookie relented, starting to scribble on the notepad. "I'd better get going, anyway. It'll take us a couple of hours to get back home, but it's still easier than booking another flight. Bill said they had no more availabilities for the next few days so we would have had to wait till Wednesday. This is my address and telephone number. And don't you worry about the dress – I have a few others." She smiled sweetly and turned to go, a bounce in her step.

"Thanks again," Liv said, about to close the door when Sookie turned once more. "Did Eric and Godric mention what was discussed yesterday? I asked Bill, but... we got distracted."

From the becoming blush on her cheeks, Liv could guess how they had gotten sidetracked. "I didn't ask. Drive safely now."

Liv allowed the door to click shut and then put the notepad with Sookie's information down before taking a closer look at the dress the other girl had brought her. It was a knee-length strap dress with a floral print, a slim waist and an elastic tube top that would offer enough support for her to forego a bra. It wasn't anything she would have picked for herself as the dress would reveal a lot more skin than she was strictly comfortable with, but still it might be nice to have a fresh set of clothes for later.

With that she closed the subject of Sookie in her mind and returned to bed and the two vampires in it.

v---v

"You're looking better." Liv glanced up from the newspaper at this unexpected almost compliment to find Eric sitting up in bed and looking every bit like a male underwear model.

"Thanks," she replied, putting down the article she had been reading about a new building project in East Dallas. "Sookie lent me one of her dresses. She already left for Louisiana with her brother and Bill."

"I was referring to your wellbeing, but the dress looks nice as well," Eric replied with a fleeting smirk before he turned to study the smaller vampire at his side. "Will you keep an eye on him while I take a quick shower? I don't want him to wake up alone."

"Of course," Liv agreed readily and got up from her armchair to sit back down on the bed next to Godric. "But it's still more than an hour till sunset. Shouldn't you be resting? You aren't doing Godric any favors by not taking care of yourself."

"I'm old. I don't need as much sleep as a younger vampire," Eric explained with another worried look down at his maker. "Godric must be truly exhausted if he's still asleep now. Fucking Fellowship!"

"I saw that rooftop and Godric meeting the sun before he was kidnapped," Liv pointed out softly. "So I don't think those zealots helped, but they're not the cause. If anything they're a symptom."

Eric uttered a curse, something soft and vicious in what might have been his mother tongue, before he explained, "Godric wasn't taken. He offered to go with them."

Liv gave a small hum of acknowledgment though she had already suspected something along those lines. She didn't know any human who could take on a vampire - let alone a vampire of Godric's age and abilities – and come out with the better end of the stick.

Eric disappeared into the bathroom and she turned her focus back on Godric, shifting his head to rest in her lap and brushing a gentle kiss over his forehead. He had been turned when he was only sixteen human years, but when he was awake he had a presence to him, a strange stillness that belied his true age. Now, asleep, he looked young and slightly sickly, like a troubled teenager. Liv gently ran her fingers over his eyebrows, trying to smooth the furrow between them, and then started to rub small circles into his temple, hoping she might somehow help to ease Godric's worries.

It wasn't long before Eric reemerged from the bathroom, his hair still wet and a towel slung low around his hips. He moved quickly around the room, got a change of clothes from his bag and was completely dressed again the blink of an eye later. Then he dropped into the armchair with his cellphone in hand.

"I used your phone to call in sick to work," Liv confessed. "I hope that's okay."

"Sure," Eric murmured absently, but then looked up. "Is it okay for you to miss work? Do you need me to send someone to smooth things over? Godric never mentioned your occupation."

"No, it's fine," Liv assured him. "I told them that a friend was hurt yesterday in the bombing and that I might need a few days. I'm a nurse." Eric arched his eyebrows skeptically, which prompted her to clarify, "Operating-room nurse. We're all covered up head to toe so I don't have to worry about skin contact as much."

Eric nodded in understanding but then added, "I'm still surprised that you would choose a profession where death features so prominently."

"I don't think of it that way. My job gives me hope that death is not always inevitable and that I'm not always helpless in the face of it."

"I was the one who was helpless this morning," Eric replied bitterly before meeting her eyes. "If it hadn't been for you… I will forever be in your debt for what you did for Godric, for us."

"I was selfish," Liv countered softly. "He's my friend and I don't want to lose him, but using my curse like I did, invading his privacy – I hope he will forgive me for that."

"Vampires tend to have a different concept of privacy," Eric tried to reassure her. "Our senses are so much more acute that we would have to strain not to notice things that a human would deem too private. He will not fault you for using your own unique 'sense', I can promise you that."

Liv sighed, grateful for Eric's words even if they had not managed to dispel her worries. After all, it was one thing to notice something private and quite another to seek out personal information. She could not always avoid touch or the resulting premonitions, but yesterday – this morning – had marked the first time she had intentionally triggered her visions in her desperate need to know whether Godric had truly sealed his fate. But in doing so, she had delved deep into his painful past, had seen Godric vulnerable and in pain, exposed and without protection. She had broken every one of her rules and completely disregarded all aspects of ethics and common courtesy – and yet, she would do it again if it saved her friend's life.

Liv jolted and sucked in a harsh breath as Godric abruptly returned to consciousness and she instinctively clutched him tighter as if she could somehow shield him from the cruelty of his maker. Godric allowed her a moment to gather her wits back into some semblance of order and made no move to extract himself from her desperate grasp.

"He's dead, you know," Godric then murmured, wiping away her tears with the corner of his shirt. "You don't have to protect me from him anymore."

"Good," Liv replied emphatically, feeling a bone-deep relief that her visions were focused entirely on the past and did not show another suicide attempt. "How did you sleep?"

"Like the dead," Godric gave back drily with a quirked little smile to show that he was joking. He gently took her hand in his as he sat up and held it for a moment before he placed in on his covered leg, breaking their skin contact as he let go. "I don't like to see you hurting."

Liv was still adjusting to the sudden quiet of her mind when Eric jumped up, chucked his cellphone onto the side table, and said something sharp and angry, too fast for her to make out the words.

"Det är mitt beslut, Eric,(1)" Godric replied softly, and Liv could hear the melancholy and tiredness in his voice.

"Men det berör oss alla!(2)" Eric exclaimed, using his impressive height to tower over them both as if he hoped to intimidate Godric into agreeing with him.

"Excuse me," Liv intervened, getting up and stepping between them. "I think Godric should eat something before you continue this discussion. And maybe you could try to find a more constructive tone while you have your own dinner."

Eric made a move like an attacking snake, complete with flashing fangs and a testy hiss, and Liv's heart made a valiant attempt at jumping out of her chest.

"Eric!" Godric said sharply, communicating a world of meaning in that one name, and Eric desisted immediately.

"Thank you," Liv said, taking a deep calming breath. "And I'm sorry, Eric, I could have worded that better. But I still think you should both have something to eat first."

"That's kind of you, but I'm not hungry," Godric answered, turning his back on them to, of all things, make the bed.

"You have to feed," Eric protested, apparently catching on to Liv's concerns and making them his own. "You didn't want to feed at the Fellowship or at the party. If you continue on with this madness, you'll soon be too weak to drop fang."

"And what would that matter?" Godric questioned. "The thought of drinking blood is less than appetizing to me."

"Maybe you misunderstood," Liv spoke up, shushing Eric and then using the tone of voice she usually reserved for her most recalcitrant patients to address Godric again, "We can call a donor from the hotel menu or you can have a Tru Blood or you can drink from me, those are your options. Continuing your foolish hunger strike is not one of them."

There was a soft snick, the sound of fangs extending, and Liv had a brief moment to wonder if she had really pushed too far this time before Godric turned around, his teeth blunt and human-looking. "You would let me feed from you? Even after I failed to protect you from Stan again?"

"I'm grateful that you intervened when you did, Godric, but this is the twenty-first century and it's not actually your responsibility to protect me – I'm in charge of my own safety," Liv answered firmly before softening her tone. "And of course you can have my blood. I trust you."

"I hate that Stan tasted you, that he left his mark on your skin," Godric murmured, carefully placing his fingertips against the white band-aid she had put over the puncture wounds.

"Then replace it with your own claim," Eric urged and Liv obligingly tilted her head and gathered her hair to one side to offer her neck to the older vampire.

Godric slid closer as if pulled by an invisible string until Liv could feel his lack of body heat. He gently grasped her at the waist with one hand and peeled away the band-aid with the other, careful not to make skin contact or cause her any discomfort with too hasty movements. He was only half a head taller than her and when he leaned in close to fit his head into the curve of her neck their bodies were aligned perfectly, molded together with only a veil of clothing to separate them. She wanted to reach out, to reassure Godric that she was completely on board, but was afraid that her tiniest movement might disturb their precarious balance because even as Godric inhaled her scent, studied the rush of her pulsing blood and catalogued all those minute details and imperfections she was lucky enough not to notice with her blunt human senses, he religiously maintained just a breath of air between them and thus spared her the experience of yet another vision. She closed her eyes when she heard the soft snick again.

After an infinitesimal moment Godric sighed regretfully and released her. "I cannot. You smell too good and I haven't eaten in too long – I wouldn't be able to stop myself."

Liv allowed her eyes to flutter open, meeting Godric's chagrined gaze with a gentle smile. "In that case, I'll get you both a Tru Blood, shall I? Any preferences?"

She squeezed his shoulder and then headed towards the sitting room and the mini-fridge where she picked out two bottles of AB Positive according to their specifications. The microwave already had a pre-programmed setting for the ideal preparation of Tru Blood and she quickly unscrewed the bottle caps and then set the bottles to warm up. With the heated drinks in hand, she returned to the sitting area where Godric and Eric had both taken seats on the sofa. She placed one bottle down in front of the blond vampire and took a few extra moments to give Godric's bottle a good shake before she handed it to him directly.

"Thank you," Godric said, scooting a little to the left so that she could sit down next to him.

"You're welcome," Liv replied earnestly, trying to pretend that she wasn't watching his every move and most likely failing miserably. In her defense, Eric's attempts at clandestine surveillance were just about as subtle though if Godric noticed he made no mention of it and took a careful sip of his Tru Blood. And then another, and another, and another until he was gulping down the synthetic blood as if it was the most delicious concoction he had ever tasted. When he had slurped down the last few drops, Eric wordlessly pushed his own untouched Tru Blood across the table and got two new bottles from the fridge, both of which Godric drank down in record time.

After the sixth bottle, a rosy flush began to spread over Godric's pale cheeks and his immediate hunger seemed to be sated at last. He only nipped sporadically on his seventh bottle while Eric took the first few swallows of his own drink.

"You said you would throw yourself off the roof," Godric broke the silence, rolling the bottle between his hands and avoiding her gaze. "Would you have? Because of me?"

Liv took a deep, calming breath, but then answered as honestly as she could, "My mother killed herself when I was six. She put rocks into the pockets of her coat and walked into a river. It was the last of too many suicide attempts. I have all these memories of her… I don't even know if all of them are real or if some of them only happened in my visions. I'm not sure it matters, either way."

"I'm sorry, Liv. I didn't know," Godric said, but she didn't want his sympathy and raised her hand to ask for another moment to finish her thought. "I never told you because I'm not my mother and those are not my choices. At least, I don't want them to be. But it's not always so easy, is it? So in the end, all I can do is hope. Hope that I'm coping with it better. Hope that I would not have killed myself. Hope that I won't lose you, too."

Godric hunched farther over his drink, making himself appear even smaller. "It seemed so simple, so reasonable. The Fellowship of the Sun is full of hatred, but I thought if I could only talk to them, it might fix everything somehow. But when I was with them, I didn't see hatred. Only fear. They looked at me and saw a monster."

"The Fellowship killed three vampires and two humans last night as well as one of their own, after you spared their lives," Liv said softly, starting to rub small circles into his back. "I wouldn't trust them to water my plants, much less to be my moral compass. You're not the monster here, Godric."

"They're racists, plain and simple," Eric added. "They preach hate in the name of humanity, under the guise of their religion, for one far-fetched reason or the other. We have seen that all before, over and over again."

"Maybe you're right," Godric said after a long pause, sighing inaudibly. "But two thousand years is a long time to collect sins. Maybe it's time I faced the Last Judgment."

"Death comes to all of us when it's our time, not before and not after. I have to believe that," Liv said softly, pleadingly. "But it's not your time. You're still needed here on earth."

Godric gave her a sad, unconvinced look, full of sympathy and disbelief, but then turned to Eric instead. "Am I, though? I'm no longer sheriff and you have Pam and your own area and your own life. I taught you everything I know, what more is there for me to do?"

"You're my maker," the tall vampire said with quiet conviction, kneeling down in front of Godric and taking his hands in his. "Min fader, min broder, min son.(3) I will always need you, but maybe I can teach you something now: How to love life."

Godric was quiet for a moment, but the nodded ever so slightly. "I've always admired your zest for life," he answered pensively, causing a wide smile to spread over Eric's handsome face. "I will try."

Liv exhaled a long, shuddery breath, the kind that could either be the last defense against tears or their harbinger, and drew back against the armrest of the sofa. She didn't want to intrude on this intimate moment between the two vampires, but she felt like the vice around her neck made of fear and despair and futility had finally loosened, bringing sweet relief, giving hope.

Two pairs of gimlet eyes fastened on her. "Sorry," she murmured, still with a lump in her throat. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I just… Thank you."

"You were worried about me," Godric concluded in awe. "What did I ever do to deserve to be so highly regarded by you?"

"You just had to be yourself," Liv gave back with a watery smile. "You're amazing and… I couldn't bear to lose you."

Godric held out his hand to her and at first she thought he might just have forgotten about her aversion to touch. "Would you like to make sure?"

She pulled back even further, mutely shaking her head. A not inconsiderable part of her wanted to take Godric up on his offer, to have that extra bit of assurance that his true death was once again in the faraway future. But while she had been able to justify such an invasion when Godric had been standing all but on the ledge, it now seemed even more unconscionable.

"Liv is worried about violating your privacy," Eric explained at Godric's confused look, not bothering to hide his eye roll. "She thinks that she already saw more than you would have been willing to share on your own terms."

"Is that true?" Godric wanted to know, sighing at her slight nod. "Liv, there is no part of my life, past, present or future, that I would wish not to share with you. But I know how painful these visions can be for you so I understand if you would rather not trigger another one."

In answer, Liv held out her hand, still rather overwhelmed by the scale of Godric's commitment to their friendship. And it was only that – after barely a few weeks it could hardly be more, though she suspected they were both rather inexperienced when it came to having friends and might not know the right pace at which to proceed. "Only with your permission."

"You have it," Godric assured her as she moved from her defensive position and lightly placed her hand on his. He carefully put his arm around her, holding her securely against his side.

Liv barely noticed. Her cursed gift swept her away into another reality, though not the one she had expected, nor the one she had dreaded. She gasped and tightened her fingers around Godric's when he made to pull back, not yet ready to leave behind the vision of a night as dark and as deep as she had ever seen and Godric crouching over a fallen Viking warrior, blood on his chin and his tattoos on clear display. Their conversation was in a language she did not know but still understood on some instinctive level so that it didn't surprise or shock her when Godric sprang for Eric's neck and began to drink deeply.

When the vision ended, she gently drifted to the surface of her consciousness and slowly blinked her eyes open. "I saw the night you made Eric a vampire. He was wounded; he would have died, but you gave him a second chance at life."

The vision had left her with a deep sense of calm, of rightness, but she didn't miss the worried glance Godric exchanged with Eric.

"I wasn't supposed to see that, was I?" Liv demanded. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Nothing's wrong with you," Godric assured her, taking a hold of her waist as it was the only part of her body that was reliably covered by the dress. "Perhaps you've already seen all there is to see about my death. Or maybe you picked up on the direction of my thoughts."

"But you're worried. Why?" Liv asked, forcing herself to take a few deep breaths. Panicking wouldn't help anyone.

"Some vampires might not like the thought of you seeing into their past," Godric offered carefully with an apologetic little half-shrug. "It might be best if you didn't tell anyone else about your abilities."

Liv turned to Eric. "But you said vampires have a different definition of privacy. That my abilities were comparable to your more advanced senses."

"And I meant it. But how many vampires do you know who wish to treat humans as equals and not as amusing pets or a delicious source of food?" Eric gave back with an arched eyebrow. "Most vampires will see your abilities and decide that you're just not amusing or delicious enough to be worth the risk of you finding out something they really don't want you to know."

Liv wanted to rage at the unfairness and point out that this incident might only have been a fluke, but she knew very well that life was seldom fair and following Eric's logic, any kind of insight into a vampire's life, death or true death might already be tipping the scale against her continued existence. She also bit back on any sarcastic comment or gallows humor as Godric sometimes had trouble recognizing these tonalities and she didn't want him to think that she was making light of his warning.

"Bill Compton is the only vampire besides you two who knows about my abilities. Isabel might suspect, but I don't think she knows with certainty," she said instead.

"Isabel is trustworthy," Godric assured her, lightly rubbing her side. "And if Mr. Compton should become a problem, I'll deal with him."

Eric sneered. "He's completely focused on his own special human. I doubt he can spare thoughts for anything besides."

"I'll be more careful from now on. I promise," Liv murmured, trying to close the subject so that they could focus back on helping Godric.

"I know you're careful," Godric assured her, tucking her close. "But I don't want you to be afraid of your gifts. You seemed so peaceful earlier. It made me happy, Liv."

"Most of the time it feels like there's a faulty live wire in my brain, all my synapses firing up at the same time. I can't move, can't speak, can't breathe," Liv admitted, completely disarmed by Godric's simple statement. "But this time, I could almost control it, focus on the things that I wanted to see… You buried Eric underneath this big tree, with moss covering its trunk, the crown disappearing into the night sky and its branches spreading wide on either side. It was beautiful, peaceful."

"I hoped it would remind Eric of Yggdrasil, the world tree, and make his transition easier," Godric explained readily, as if Liv needed any further proof of his kindness. "Would you like to see if you can return to that vision? If maybe there is a way to control your gifts?"

"I'd like that," she said, lightly stroking Godric's arm and smiling at the newfound enthusiasm in his eyes. "But right now I just want to enjoy it and be glad that this is what I saw."

"Of course," Godric agreed immediately with a small, honest smile of his own. "However, I think I should get you home before your aunts start to worry."

"What time is it?" Liv asked, craning her neck to try to see the clock. "Iris is on tour, but I told Beth I'd be home sometime tonight or call again."

"It's a quarter to midnight," Godric told her, referring to some vampiric internal clock. "Would you allow me to take you home?"

"It might be better if we called a taxi for Liv," Eric pointed out and held up his phone. "Isabel would like to speak to us."

"It's okay," Liv assured Godric, reluctantly slipping out of his arms. "You should meet with Isabel and I should get home. But maybe you would like to come by afterwards?"

"Very much so," Godric answered, following her to the door. "And I promise to stay with Eric. I know you're still worried."

"You still seem sad," Liv said by way of an explanation. "And sometimes we all need someone to cover our backs while we figure out how to move forward."

* * *

(1) It is my decision, Eric.

(2) But it affects us all!

(3) My father, my brother, my son.


	4. Waltz of the Flowers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Hello, everyone, and happy Mother's Day!_   
>  _I hope you'll enjoy this chapter and thank you for reading!_

**4\. Waltz of the Flowers – The Nutcracker – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky**

By the time 7 pm rolled around and with it the time for her to clock out, Liv had already cursed her rather short-sighted decision to go to work abundantly. It had seemed like a good idea when her alarm had gone off at 5:30, with no sign of either Godric or Eric making an appearance, and the alternative of work was spending the whole day alone at home brooding and worrying. But after twelve hours of her colleagues enquiring after her wellbeing and not so subtly about the bombing at Godric's house, she was ready to scream at the next person who started a sentence with "I heard what happened…". She had spent the last hour and a half sterilizing surgical instruments and counting and restocking dressings, syringes and suture material just to get away from everyone.

She didn't bother to change into street clothes, merely gathering her things from her locker and pulling off her scrub top since she was still wearing a thin long-sleeve underneath. The elevator cab down to the parking garage was thankfully empty and she power-walked to her car – an ageing blue Volkswagen she shared with her aunts.

Soon after, the hospital was disappearing in her rearview mirror and she breathed a sigh of relief, letting the familiar turns and stops home soothe her into a calmer state of mind. For the most part, her colleagues were kind and well-meaning people. They had their faults, their prejudices, their biases, of course, but she knew that if she had confided in any one of them, they would have dusted off their empathy and supported her to the best of their abilities. It was just that she feared that her colleagues – all men and women of science and modern medicine – were not particularly well-equipped to deal with matters of the supernatural. And after all, their jobs were hard enough without adding a suicidal vampire and a clairvoyant with constant premonitions of death into the mix.

A short while later she pulled into their driveway, the modest-sized one-storied house looking as welcoming as it always did. Sure, the outside walls were off-white verging on gray, the gutter was slightly wonky and one of the spindles in the railing around the front porch needed replacing. But they had repainted the entrance door and window frames in a jolly light-blue, which made the entire building seem more put-together, tidy and cheerful; Beth had added colorful flower pots as well as some other decorative items to most of the available surfaces and Iris had insisted on a door bell that played a merry jingle instead of any run-of-the-mill chime. So it was theirs, more than just four walls and roof.

"Beth, I'm home," Liv called, putting the keys on the key rack next to the door and dropping her bag underneath it.

"We're in the kitchen," her aunt called back, causing her to walk a little faster.

Her brief bout of worry abated instantly when she saw Godric, Eric and Isabel sitting placidly around their kitchen table, all with a bottle of Tru Blood in front of them, while her aunt was gently dipping a biscuit into her tea. They all seemed perfectly at ease, even Eric with his long legs folded awkwardly underneath their too small kitchen table. But then again, putting people at ease was one of her aunt's specialties – along with her famous marshmallow sundaes and finding the ugliest Christmas sweaters imaginable.

"Hey," she greeted, caressing Godric's shoulder as she walked past him and then embracing her aunt from behind in their own special kind of no-skin-contact hug. "Have you been here long?"

"We only got here twenty-three minutes ago," Godric replied precisely. "Your aunt was kind enough to invite us inside."

"You know you're always welcome here, Godric." Her aunt smiled warmly, indicating his almost empty bottle. "Would you like another one?"

"I'll get it," Liv offered, already moving towards the refrigerator and noting the fresh six-pack of Tru Blood Beth must have bought on her way home. "Anything for you, Isabel? Eric?"

"No thank you," Isabel answered with an ever so slight lisp to her words. "You smell strange."

"Oh, right. I probably smell like hospital," Liv admitted. "Do you mind if I take a quick shower?"

Godric had never come right out and said that she smelled bad after a shift, but since even humans remarked on the so-called "hospital smell" she could well imagine how overwhelming the scent of disinfectants, sickness and blood must be to their fine vampire noses.

"Go right ahead, honey," Beth told her, taking the bottle from her and shooing her out of the kitchen. "I'm sure I can keep our guests entertained while you freshen up."

That was doubtlessly true since her aunt had a sheer endless repertoire of funny anecdotes and always seemed to know just what questions to ask to get people to open up. The last time Godric had visited, her aunt had somehow pulled him into a conversation about gardening techniques which had resulted in Godric laying the foundation for a long thought-of, but never quite realized herb garden in their small backyard.

Still, she hurried through her shower and emerged only ten minutes later from the steamed up bathroom wrapped in a midnight blue towel. She slipped over the short corridor into her room.

"Mhm, much better," Eric greeted her with a fanged smile and startled a squeak out of her.

"What the hell, Eric?" she demanded, hesitating for a moment before moving a decisive step to the side and pointing at the door. "Out. Now. Or I'm rescinding your invitation."

"I just thought you might like this back," Eric said innocently, holding up the small black purse she had lost somewhere the other night. "I found it in the rubble for you, but if you don't want it…"

"Thank you. Now please wait outside so I can get dressed," Liv reiterated, indicating the door again und pulling the towel tighter with her free hand.

In the next blink of the eye, Eric was stood on the other side of the door, gently pulling it closed and allowing her the privacy to get dressed. She breathed out slowly and then quickly picked out a fresh pair of jeans and another long-sleeve, brushed out her hair. When she opened the door again, Eric was still waiting for her and looked at her expectantly until she waved him inside.

"I made you uncomfortable," Eric noted, offering her purse to her as he stepped into the room. "That wasn't my intention."

"I know," Liv assured him, taking her phone out and plugging it in. "Thank you for this. I'm glad I won't have to replace it."

"You're welcome," Eric answered, starting to wander around her room, taking a few moments to look at the pile of medical books on her desk before picking up the photo on her dresser. "You don't look like your aunts."

The photo had been taken a couple of years ago when they had all moved to Dallas. They were stood in front of their house, Liv in the middle with Iris and Beth on either side of her, and no, there was no family resemblance. Beth was tall and blond, with warm brown eyes and a kind, rounded face to match. Iris, on the other hand, had a boyish figure, a wry smile and a fluffy pixie cut that just managed to soften her angular features but did little to dim the intensity of her dark-eyed gaze.

"We're not biologically related," Liv replied, accepting the photo from Eric and carefully putting it back down. "Beth works for social services and she was assigned to my mother and me after her umpteenth suicide attempt. She took care of me for as long as I can remember and after my mother died, she adopted me. Iris is her fiancée. They met when I was ten. Is this really what you wanted to talk about?"

She looked at Eric inquiringly, a little startled at how far up she had to tilt her head to meet his eyes. Of course, she had realized that Eric was quite tall, but when Godric was around, there was always something deferential in Eric's posture, a delicate downward slope to his broad shoulders that made him seem a little less imposing. Clearly though, that wasn't the effect he was going for now.

"You've known Godric for how long? One month? Two? He talks about you constantly," Eric said it almost accusingly and Liv just had to laugh, only biting back on her amusement at the irritated look she received from Eric. "Sorry, that's just a little funny, coming from you."

"Godric and I have history," Eric said dismissively, as if that explained everything.

"I know. But it's more than that, isn't it?" Liv asked, hiding her smile at Eric's unimpressed glare. "Did Godric tell you about our first meeting?"

When Eric shook his head she continued, "I was in the library and needed a book from one of the upper shelves. I was trying to reach it when he came up to me and offered his help. I guess I looked a little skeptical because he said: 'I'm not as tall as Eric, but I have my ways.' And then he just floated up." She grinned as she remembered the scene, Godric's dorky smile, her own fascinated wonder.

Eric snorted indelicately, muttering something that sounded vaguely like "Two-thousand years and now he decides to show-off."

Liv sent him a chiding look, just to be safe, before she returned to her point, "That was the first thing he ever said to me and he hasn't stopped talking about you since. I was quite looking forward to meeting you."

"And now you're disappointed?"

"Not at all. I just wish it had been under different circumstances," Liv corrected gently. "I'm glad Godric has you in his life."

Eric cast her a long, searching look, then pulled in a slow, unnecessary breath and took a deliberate step back so that he was no longer looming over her. "I asked Godric what would make him happy and it worries me how many of his answers revolved around you - spending time with you, hearing about your day, cooking for you, finding out whether you taste as good as you smell, dancing with you, taking care of you, helping you with your abilities…"

Liv made a soft sound of surprise, dropping down onto the bed. "Oh… I hadn't expected that. But it all sounds rather nice, I think. And it certainly doesn't change how I feel: I want to help him. I'm not giving up on him and you're not going to scare me away."

"Not really my point, but I'm glad we got that settled," Eric replied dryly before continuing in a more serious tone, "Godric has resigned his office as sheriff of this area and he has been ordered to leave Texas." He raised his hand when Liv made to speak up. "Isabel and I both tried to appeal this decision, but the AVL needed a scapegoat and Godric all but volunteered. We're only fortunate that the public response to his supposed abduction and the bombing has been mostly sympathetic…"

Liv shuddered, wrapping her arms protectively around herself and trying hard not to think about what Eric had just implied.

"I understand that you have your life here – your family, your friends, your work – but Godric needs you and he can't stay here," Eric said, staring at her with a plea in his blue eyes. "So, if there is anything -"

"Eric, please don't finish that sentence," Liv begged. "I meant what I said. I have no intention of disappearing from Godric's life so I will figure something out. And if I should need your help I promise I will come to you, but you don't have to… to convince me or offer me an incentive. Godric is reason enough."

"I'm starting to see why Godric likes you so much."

"Thank you," Liv replied politely, getting to her feet.

"Oh, that wasn't a compliment. Personally, I'd rather do without all that touchy-feely talk." He grinned at her as if he was trying to win a contest, speeding around her, opening the door and disappearing down the hallway before she could even blink, muss less come up with a witty rejoinder.

In the kitchen the scene was almost the same as before. Eric had returned to his seat, Godric had a second bottle in front of him, Isabel still hadn't touched hers and her aunt had put on a recording of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, no doubt touting her girlfriend.

"Ah, there you are," Beth interrupted herself when she entered. "I was just about to come looking for you. Iris said she'd call this evening and I'd hate to miss her. Will you be alright by yourself?"

"Of course, say hi to her from me," Liv replied, taking the chair Godric had pulled out for her.

"I will," her aunt promised, turning the stereo off as she passed it. "There's still some pasta in the fridge if you're hungry. Oh, and muffins! Judy baked."

"Birthday?" Liv asked, trying to remember if any of Beth's colleagues had a reason to celebrate.

"No, just a new recipe – apple cinnamon," Beth answered with a smile. "Isabel, Eric it was nice meeting you. And Godric, I hope to see you again soon."

Godric thanked her softly and then Liv was alone in the kitchen with the three vampires.

"Do you want to eat something?" Godric asked, but she shook her head. "Thank you, but I've kept you waiting long enough and I have a feeling this isn't merely a social call."

She looked at Isabel, hoping the female vampire might explain why she had come to visit. She liked Isabel for her directness and her loyalty to Godric, but they had never really moved past the level of fleeting acquaintances and she hadn't thought that she ranked high enough in Isabel's view to warrant a personal visit.

"You're right," Isabel agreed. "There have been some developments which also impact your life, unfortunately."

"Eric already told me that Godric is no longer sheriff of this area," Liv said, gently resting her hand on Godric's arm to offer her support. "Is that what this is about?"

"Not directly," Isabel replied, focusing for a moment on Liv's hand before once again meeting her eyes. "Are you aware that you smell… rather nice?"

"When I'm not fresh home from work, you mean," Liv joked weakly, but had a bad feeling she wouldn't like where Isabel was going with this. "I didn't think Stan was interested in me for my personality."

"He wasn't," Godric clarified rather unnecessarily. "He wanted your blood."

"The problem is," Isabel continued, looking intently at her. "That the whole nest heard Stan relinquish his claim on you before he died."

"There are other vampires who have noticed the way I smell," Liv inferred, clenching her free hand into a fist under the table. "Aren't there?"

"I think it's safe to say that we all noticed your scent," Eric offered flirtatiously, but she wasn't in the mood for his type of reassurance, feeling her heartbeat pick up and sweat starting to bead on her forehead.

Godric shifted a little closer and the reminder of his presence helped her to calm down a little. She smiled gratefully at him and then looked to Isabel again, hoping she hadn't come only with a problem, but also with a solution.

"It would be easiest if you accepted a claim," Isabel explained, matter-of-fact. "Vincent expressed a rather sincere interest in you."

Liv didn't care to ask what "expressing a sincere interest" meant in vampire terms or who this Vincent guy was supposed to be because she was very certain that she didn't want to find out either of those things. Being one vampire's pet might be preferable to being made an unwilling blood donor to the first, second and hundredth vampire that came along, but her aunts had raised her to be a strong and independent woman and selling her blood (and probably the rest of her) for protection was hard to reconcile with that. Fortunately, Eric had all but told her that there may be another option.

She gathered her courage and turned to Godric, noting the slight furrow between his eyebrows. "I was never Stan's. But I'll be yours, if you'll have me."

"Liv," Godric whispered, turning his arm under her hand so that he could take a loose hold of her forearm. "I would like nothing more than for you to be mine, but… I have to leave Texas."

"I know, Eric already told me," Liv replied, returning Godric's light hold. "And I want to come with you, either way. So what do you say? Am I yours?" She gave Godric a hopeful smile with her heart beating almost painfully hard in her chest, followed by a delighted laugh when he swept her out of the chair. He swirled her around, fast enough to make her head spin a little, but then steadied her in a careful embrace with his hands resting gently on the small of her waist. He gave her a beaming smile, a new sparkle in his deep brown eyes.

"Liv Halloran, you're mine," Godric declared softly, breathing in deeply against her neck, against the healing bite mark, before he turned back to Isabel and Eric and said more strongly with a hint of fang, "She's mine."

"Congratulations," Isabel answered with a smile that looked perhaps a little stiff. "The Magister has announced his visit for the end of the month so you have about three weeks to arrange your relocation."

"I'd be surprised if we have more than one," Eric corrected her. "The Magister is not known for giving fair warning."

"How much time do you need?" Godric asked her, sliding his hands up and down her back.

"I'd like to talk with my aunts first and I have to give my two weeks' notice, but I'm not scheduled to work next week, so – four days? Is that okay?" Liv replied, looking from Godric to Eric and then back again.

"Of course," Godric agreed immediately, but Liv only relaxed when Eric added his own confirming nod. Godric had once explained the basic structure of vampire hierarchy to her and she had no interest in meeting the judge, jury and executioner of North America, especially since his unfortunate reputation preceded him. "Why don't you go talk to your aunts now? There're still some details I have to discuss with Isabel."

"Okay," Liv agreed, lightly swaying against Godric before pulling back. "Don't leave without saying good-bye."

"I won't," Godric promised, giving her another bright smile as he released her.


	5. Nuages

**5\. Nuages – Trois Nocturnes – Claude Debussy**

Liv was sitting cross-legged on the bed next to her aunt Beth, Iris as a pixelated image on the open laptop screen before them. Iris's hair was still slicked back, giving her an air of seriousness and elegance that didn't fit all the "creativity" around her. "Creativity" was what Iris liked to call her brand of orderliness, that is to say, utter chaos. Even from the limited view of the laptop camera, Liv could see that clothes had exploded out of her aunt's suitcase and had ended up on the bed, the chair and mostly the floor. There was an opened bag of chips next to her aunt and a glass of water precariously balanced on the edge of her nightstand and a pile of sheet music. The bed was ruffled and dotted with other sheets of music and Liv knew that the only thing that would be kept pristine and well-guarded was her aunt's violin, safely locked in its case and placed on an elevated surface, either a table, a desk or a cupboard shelf.

Beth and Iris's room here in Dallas was almost the complete opposite with matching white furniture and a few floral highlights in purple here and there that matched the soft bedcovers and the gauzy curtains. Their bedroom was firmly under Beth's calming influence as Iris's creativity was mostly confined to the music room, two doors down.

"Godric is leaving," Liv finally offered, nervously smoothing the bedcovers.

"And you're leaving with him, aren't you?" Iris asked while she was still trying to find the right words for that piece of news. "Is it because of the explosion that was all over the news?"

"Yes," Liv agreed softly. "I don't know all the details and I'm not sure I should ask. It's a lot of vampire politics. No humans allowed."

"But is this what you want?" Beth asked gently. "I know you like Godric, but uprooting your life is a big decision. You should be sure."

"I am sure," Liv answered, surprised by her own certainty. "I know it seems hasty and as if I'm letting the circumstances dictate my decision, but it's not the circumstances, it's Godric. I want to go with him."

Her aunts exchanged a long, telling look before Beth squeezed her around the shoulders. "Well, in that case, it's a good thing this family already has a lot of practice with long-distance relationships and quite a few frequent flyer miles. And Iris will be home tomorrow so that we can help you pack."

"Thanks," Liv whispered, swallowing against the lump in her throat. "And I don't think we're going farther than Louisiana. Eric lives in Shreveport so that's probably where we'll be going, too."

"Shreveport, that's only about three hours by car, isn't it?" Iris asked and then grinned. "You won't have any chance to miss us."

Liv laughed, brushing the tears from under her eyes. "You two are the best."

"And don't you forget it," Iris shot back, blowing her a kiss through the camera. "Now, chin up, and tell me when I get to meet this Godric fellow who's stealing my little girl away. I've only heard good things so far, that just can't be right."

Liv laughed again and they talked some more about her impending move, Iris's concert tour and of course Godric before Liv's stomach rumbled in hunger and her aunts sent her away to get some dinner, get some sleep and she suspected, to get some privacy for themselves. She received another hug from Beth and a jolly wave from Iris and then returned to the kitchen where she found Godric intently studying the microwave, an opened Tupperware container in his hands.

"I wanted to heat this up for you, but there are too many settings," he explained, obediently stepping aside when Liv took the container from him and turned the dials on the microwave. "I could make you a tea?"

"That would be perfect," Liv agreed with a smile, hearing the click of the kettle before she had fully turned around. "Did Eric and Isabel leave?"

"Isabel did, but Eric is outside on the phone with Pam. There seems to be a maenad in his area that's causing some trouble," Godric explained.

"What's a maenad?" Liv asked, pointing to the box of peppermint tea when Godric held it up.

Godric got the heated meal from the microwave and set the table for her within the blink of an eye and motioned for her to start eating while he explained, "Maenads are very old beings who worship Bacchus - god of wine, ritual madness and ecstasy. Fortunately, they seldom bother us vampires but they cause a kind of frenzy amongst humans that often results in bloodshed. Eric tried to offer her tribute so that she would leave, but this one seems rather fixated on the town she settled in… and on a certain shapeshifter." From the way Godric was tilting his head ever so slightly, Liv thought he was listening in on Eric's telephone conversation at the same time. "They are called 'raving ones' or 'mad women' and that is how they appear, but behind their madness they have a higher purpose: They hope their god will appear to them if they can just find the right vessel for him and create enough energy through the madness, depravity and intemperance they sow."

Eric suddenly appeared in the kitchen, startling Liv and almost making her swallow wrong. "How do you kill them?"

"You don't," Godric said, not at all surprised at Eric's arrival and pushed the cup of tea in Liv's direction. "They're immortal. They will only die if they succeed in summoning their god who will then devour them and absorb their power back into himself."

"Has that ever happened?" Liv asked, not willing to exclude anything just because it seemed improbable.

"Not that I know," Godric answered. "And dealing with Bacchus himself would hardly be an improvement."

Eric cursed in a language Liv didn't understand and then lifted his phone back to his ear, speaking in the same language. Liv took a few more bites of her pasta and sips of tea trying to make sense of all this information. She had seen so much death in her life that she had trouble grasping the concept of complete immortality. Vampires were immortal, but only to a point – sunlight or a stake through the heart and their undead lives could be ended just as abruptly as a human's. It was something she didn't want to consider too carefully right now, or ever when it came to the two vampires in her kitchen, but it was proof that even immortal beings had their weaknesses.

"And was there ever a case where a maenad just believed she had successfully summoned her god?" Liv asked, mostly out of curiosity.

Eric put down his phone again, holding it loosely in his hand as he studied her attentively. "You think she can be tricked."

"I don't know… maybe. She has faith, right? Just like the followers of every other religion, and if you believe in something, truly and whole-heartedly, everything that happens is a confirmation of that belief," Liv replied, gaining confidence while speaking. "You don't need proof; you just need a sign."

"There's a chance it could work," Godric offered cautiously. "If she believes she is in the presence of her god, she will give in to death."

"Did you hear that, Pam?" Eric said into his phone and then listened for a moment. "I'm well aware, thank you. Please feel free to go with better idea if you or the shifter think of something. And fangs off the miniature humans."

He hung up a few moments later. "Pam says she looks forward to meeting you."

"I look forward to meeting her too," Liv answered, finishing her bowl of pasta and getting up to put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. "Do you have to get back to Shreveport?"

"It's too close to dawn to do anything useful," Eric answered with another glance at his phone. "But I'll leave tomorrow night to talk with Sophie-Anne about welcoming you to my area and ask her opinion on the maenad problem."

"Sophie-Anne is the queen of Louisiana. It's customary to ask her leave before settling in her queendom," Godric explained to Liv when he saw the confused look on her face before he turned back to Eric. "You should leave tonight and rest in Shreveport for the day. Otherwise you will be forced to spend a day at the queen's palace. I can stay here."

"None of the rooms here are light-tight," Liv pointed out with a worried frown, surprised when Godric ducked his head and peeked at her with a slight touch of guilt to his features. "I built a day-time shelter in your backyard."

Liv took a second to wrap her head around that, then put a hand over her mouth to contain her laughter. "Let me guess, when you laid out the herb garden for Beth?"

Godric gave a cautious little nod. "You're not angry?"

"Of course not. Though Iris will be happy to hear you're a little bit devious after all. She was disappointed I had nothing bad to say about you," Liv said, smiling at the dark-haired vampire. "Is this shelter of yours safe?"

"Yes." Godric nodded. "I would show it to you, but I didn't put in a ventilation system and it would not be very comfortable for you."

"And you'll be alright there by yourself?" Liv asked as tactfully as she could, exchanging a quick glance with Eric.

Godric carefully tugged the sleeves of her shirt down over her hands so that he could sling their fingers together. Liv returned the gentle squeeze of his hands. "You wouldn't be so worried if you knew just how happy you made me by agreeing to be mine," he confided, kissing her covered hands. "I will be in the shelter come sunrise. I will be here when you come back from work."

Liv felt herself blush at Godric's earnest words, but still said as strongly as she could muster, "I'll hold you to that."

"In that case I shall get our things from the hotel," Eric said and Liv was almost certain he had rolled his eyes.

"Could you also get some more Tru Blood, please?" Liv asked, suppressing a yawn. "I think we only have one bottle left."

"I drank that, too," Godric admitted. "And I still don't trust myself to feed from you, Liv."

"So we'll need a lot of synthetic blood," Liv concluded simply, squeezing their hands together again.

"Happy to be your errand boy, ma'am," Eric said with a tip to his non-existent hat and sped off, the front door clicking shut a moment later.

They sat for a moment in silence, thinking their own thoughts and just enjoying the quiet comfort the other provided. But when Godric offered to get the apple-cinnamon muffin for her, Liv decided to skip dessert and to call it a day so that she might have a chance of being at least reasonably alert during work tomorrow.

"Will you stay with me till I fall asleep?" she asked when she reemerged from the bathroom and found Godric hovering uncertainly in the doorway to her room.

In response, Godric folded back the covers for her and held the thin blanket while she crawled into bed. When she was situated and safely ensconced in the covers, Godric switched off the lights and slipped into bed next to her, carefully brushing the wavy hair away from her neck.

"Will you allow me to heal the bite mark?" Godric asked in a whisper. "If I use a drop of my blood it will speed up the healing process."

"It bothers you?" Liv asked at the same volume.

"Yes," Godric replied, only slightly louder but with decisive intensity. "I absolutely hate seeing it."

"Okay," Liv agreed, arching her neck a little while clenching her fingers into the blankets. "But promise to keep holding me afterwards."

There was the soft snick of Godric's fangs descending and then a feather-light touch of a fingertip against her neck, and Liv wanted to scream as she was assailed by visions of the abuse Godric had suffered at the hands of his maker. It was probably only a couple of seconds of touch, but her curse hardly respected the constraints of time, and she once again bore witness to the end of Godric's human life with all its atrocities and humiliations.

When the vision ended and she snapped back into complete consciousness, Godric was still murmuring apologies.

"You promised to keep holding me," Liv reminded him and rolled around so she could face the vampire behind her. "And it's not your fault that I have this curse or that your maker was a cruel piece of shit."

"I was hoping it would be like last time," Godric said, but when Liv shifted closer, he obediently placed his arms around her again, pulling her wrapped body to rest against his chest.

"I know, I did to," Liv admitted, snuggling against him. "But this – you holding me – is better. I never had this before."

"You never had someone to hold you?" Godric questioned, tightening his embrace ever so slightly. "What about your aunts?"

"Oh, they're always ready for a hug when I need one," Liv answered with a small smile. "But that's not what I meant. You make me feel safe. When I'm with you, I don't have to be on guard and make sure that we don't touch because you make sure of it for me. And I don't have to worry that you'll sneak up on me from behind or slip up accidentally on purpose because you think I'm just faking or a little hysterical or won't even notice when you touch me in my sleep. You have never once touched me without my explicit permission and you don't know what a relief that is."

Godric didn't reply and froze into complete stillness beneath her, becoming less man and more pillar of salt, and as Liv replayed her words she winced internally at how the insecure vampire must have interpreted them.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply that I don't want you to touch me - I do. I just… I wanted to say thank you," she whispered, pressing herself closer and wishing Godric would enfold her in the security of his arms again.

"I know. I understand why this would be important to you and I thank you for your trust," Godric said to her surprise, tucking her in once more. "I was just lost in my own thoughts for a moment."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Liv asked, taking a deep breath and enjoying the scent of freshly washed sheets and Godric that surrounded her like a cocoon.

"I'd like that – tomorrow," Godric murmured. "But I've kept you awake long enough. Go to sleep, Liv."

"Tomorrow," Liv agreed and closed her eyes. "Good night, Godric."

"Good night, Liv."


	6. Liebestraum

**6\. Liebestraum Nr. 3 – Liebesträume – Franz Liszt**

The beeping of her alarm clock cut off abruptly, startling her out of her slow return to wakefulness. She blinked her eyes open in surprise to look around her still dark bedroom, trying to decide if something was wrong.

"Godric?" she asked into the darkness, squeezing her eyes closed when the lights were switched on suddenly. When she opened them again, she found Godric's smiling face only a few scarce centimeters away from her and she couldn't help but suck in a surprised breath.

"Sorry," Godric offered and eased back so that she could sit up. "I didn't mean to alarm you." He was still smiling, though.

"What's so funny?" Liv wanted to know, rolling her shoulders and rubbing her eyes.

The grin on Godric's face only grew wider. "You talk in your sleep. It was very interesting. And I think I broke your clock."

He held up his hand with the crushed pieces of her alarm clock in it and Liv had to grin herself. "Sure looks that way. And what did I say to have you in such a good mood?"

"Oh, this and that," Godric replied teasingly, dropping the sad remains of her alarm clock into the dust bin next to her desk and then starting to pull on the blanket. "You must have had a very nice dream, that's all."

"Uhu," Liv commented skeptically, still with a bemused quirk to her lips. "If you say so."

She briefly tried to remember if there had been a dream, but if so, it had faded quickly from her memory as dreams were wont to. And it didn't really matter. She didn't care if she had babbled something embarrassing or revealed something heartfelt - not if it made Godric grin like a little boy and glow like Edward Cullen in sunlight.

Thinking of sunlight. "Do you have time to join me for breakfast before sunrise?"

Godric nodded, holding out the kimono-style dressing gown Iris had brought back as a souvenir for her from her last Asia tour and which had gone MIA somewhere in her wardrobe a couple of weeks ago. The sight of it and Godric holding it out for her like in one of those black-and-white movies made her smile just a little bit wider and she swung her legs out of bed and shrugged into it, Godric's gentle hands settling the light fabric over her shoulders. They remained like that for just a second, Godric's fingers tracing once over her collarbones before he whirled away. A blink of an eye later, he had already made the bed and was holding the door open for her.

Soon after, they were once again sitting next to each other at the kitchen table, a bottle of Tru Blood in front of Godric and a bowl of cereal and a muffin in front of Liv. The coffee maker had made Godric admit defeat with its many non-descript buttons, but thanks to Liv it was now gurgling happily as the water was running through the machine.

"Will you tell me what you were thinking about last night?" Liv asked after the first few spoonfuls of cereal and a glance out the kitchen window at the still dark world outside.

Godric sipped on his Tru Blood pensively. "What you were saying reminded me of what Eric did for me when he allowed me to turn him. After I had killed my master, I became a pariah of the vampire community. I could never stay too long in one place for fear of being discovered and people then were suspicious of strangers. So I lived in the wilderness and if I happened upon an army or a raiding party I would follow them and feed on the wounded or dying. I sometimes even fought with them if the battles or raids took place during night-time. I thought I enjoyed it. I didn't realize that I was lonely."

"Eric changed that?" Liv asked gently when Godric paused in his story to pour her some coffee.

Godric smiled, his features softened by the memory. "I watched him on the battlefield the night before I made him and he was beautiful, larger than life. I wanted him. I had never thought about being a maker. If I'm honest the thought of being anything like my master terrified me. But I knew he was dying and I couldn't bear the thought of letting him go. I didn't want to be alone again."

"I don't think you could ever be anything like your maker," Liv said with conviction. "Eric's love is proof of that."

"Don't let him hear that. He likes to pretend he's incapable of love," Godric joked before he grew thoughtful again. "I think we did all right, but that is as much to Eric's credit as it is to mine. I was an old vampire even then, but I was still behaving like a little boy, scared of my own shadow, convinced that everything had the potential to hurt me. Eric showed me how to be fearless. He taught me to trust in my own strength and allowed me to be in control, even when it went against his nature."

From the way Godric trailed off, Liv had a feeling that there was more to the story, but when she looked out the window she could already see their letterbox in the driveway and a glance at the clock confirmed that it was time for Godric to go to his shelter. She got up to put her used dishes in the dishwasher and stopped to hug Godric around the shoulders on her way back.

"Thank you for sharing this with me," she said softly. "And in case it wasn't clear last night: thank you for making me feel strong and in control."

His muscles went loose and pliant under her hold and when he stood up and turned around, she could see the full effect of his gentle smile on his face. "It was clear. Sadly, I must bid you a good day now, but believe me that I will never object to hearing more compliments from your lips. Especially when you're awake." His eyes sparkled with mirth as he sketched a bow into the silence of her surprise and then he was out of the door faster than her eyes could track.

Liv stepped out onto their small back porch, little more than a few extra centimeters of floorboards that connected their house to the single step down into their yard with its patchy grass, the overgrown flowerbeds and the pristine herb garden. "I'll be sure to think of some more compliments while you're sleeping," she called, hoping Godric could still hear her and that her words would help keep the smile on his face for a little while longer. "Sleep tight."

She stood there for a moment longer, waiting to see if there would be a response and breathing in the fresh morning air, before she turned back into the house to get ready for work. Time had gotten away from her and it was later than she had assumed, but her usual morning routine was simple and straight-forward and could be managed within the quarter of an hour so she didn't worry too much about it.

First, since she was already in the kitchen she poured some of the extra coffee into a travel mug for herself and then switched the coffee machine to its warm-keeping mode for her aunt. That accomplished, she went to the bathroom where she brushed her teeth and took a five-minute shower. Then she quickly pulled on the clothes that were on top of her fresh laundry pile and applied just a touch of mascara. Since she was only going to wear the clothes on her way to and from work and since most of her face would be covered by a surgical mask for the better part of the day, anything more would simply be love's labor lost. But she spent some extra effort on her hair, brushing it out and putting it in a braided bun that was both practical and pretty.

All that done, she packed her bag for the day, though she kept most of the little daily necessities in her locker at the hospital. She would have to empty that out as well and probably fill out any number of forms in HR. That wasn't something she was looking forward to and she also kind of dreaded the reaction of her colleagues. She wasn't particularly close to anyone there, but the long hours and all the extreme emotions that their job entailed bred a kind of familiarity and intimacy that defied easy classifications. And she hated the thought of leaving them even more understaffed and overworked.

She shook her head, disappointed at the direction of her own thoughts. Beth had warned her that she needed to be sure and she was. Yes, it would be hard to leave her life here behind, but she was going with Godric, who was the kindest and most amazing person she had ever met and who had been so happy at her decision. She had no reason for regrets and no room for doubts.

So instead she pulled an extra cloth bag from her drawer and stuffed it into her bag before unplugging her phone from the charger and making to slip it into the side pocket. She had a bunch of unread messages and as she scrolled through them, she found that most of them were from Eric.

//I put some numbers in your phone. Eric//

//4 packs of Tru Blood in the fridge. He should drink at least two bottles every night. Call if you need more.//

//I'm not offering you money, but if I was I would tell you that there's an additional credit card in your wallet.//

//I put some of Godric's clothes in the washing machine. If you have the time, please check that he put them in the dryer.//

//Speed dial 9 if there are any problems during the day.//

She furrowed her brow at that last one since Eric seemed to be referring to something other than moving related problems. She checked the directory of her phone for the number Eric had programmed under speed dial 9, but found only a less than informative "R. Cruz" and no further details. She was tempted to call the number, just to find out who this mysterious person was that Eric considered the solution to any and all potential problems that might arise during the day, but it seemed childish and ungracious and she quelled the impulse.

Instead she typed out a quick message to thank Eric and to let him know that Godric was safely underground. A moment later, her phone rang with a call from, apparently, a "Viking sex god".

"Good morning, Eric," she greeted. "I hope you know I'm changing your caller ID to 'disturbingly tall and annoying'."

Eric's laugh rang in her ear while she checked the time and decided that she still had enough time to see to Godric's clothes. She knew that the two vampires had gone back to what remained of Godric's house to salvage at least some of his possessions, but the clothes had undoubtedly needed a good wash before they were fit to wear again.

"What did you do to put Godric in such a good mood?" Eric asked curiously.

"Apparently I talk in my sleep. Don't ask me what I said – Godric wouldn't tell me," Liv replied before asking a question of her own. "How do you even know that?"

"There's a bond between maker and progeny. I asked Godric to keep the connection open for the time being," Eric explained. "He's asleep now."

Liv breathed a quiet sigh of relief, glad to know that Godric was actually resting and not just lying in his dark little underground cell, biding his time till sunset and feeling lonely and isolated. It also seemed to her that Godric could still use a few more good days' sleep (and probably a few more six-packs of Tru Blood) to recover from the damage he had done himself.

"So who is R. Cruz and why did you put his number in my phone?" she asked as she opened their old but still serviceable dryer to find that Godric had indeed loaded it with his washed clothes, but had failed to turn it on, probably because the lint trap was completely full. She cleaned away the accumulated fluff, reinserted the trap and turned on the dryer so that Godric would have fresh clothes when he rose in the evening. She then hurried back to her room to grab her things.

"It's not the only number I put in your phone," Eric pointed out with a teasing undertone. "There's also the number of the moving company I hired, an automotive workshop, Fangtasia, Pam, a Tru Blood delivery guy…"

"That's not what I asked," Liv interrupted, hesitating at the front door. "Eric, please."

The Viking sighed, but his voice was surprisingly gentle when he explained, "Randy Cruz is your personal bodyguard for the next few days. I hired him not because I'm expecting trouble, but because I know that not taking certain precautions is simply foolish and Godric would never forgive himself if something happened to you."

Eric sounded like he was gearing up for an argument, but Liv found that last bit hard to refute. "Okay."

"Okay?" Eric asked in surprise. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're being reasonable, but I was expecting a bit more outrage or maybe a lecture or two. I'm holding the phone at arm's length and all."

"I'm about to be late for work so that'll have to wait. Just promise me something," Liv answered, finally stepping outside and walking to her car. "Take care of yourself as well. I'm not the only one who's important to Godric."

"There's colloidal silver in the glove compartment. Take it with you when you go to work," Eric said and rang off without any further goodbye, leaving Liv to wonder if she had offended him somehow by daring to make that suggestion. She couldn't bring herself to regret it, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Hello, my warm-blooded friends!_   
>  _Unfortunately I won't be able to post a new chapter this coming weekend, so I hope you'll forgive me for posting this a little earlier :)._   
>  _The next chapter should be ready by the end of May. Hope to see you then!_


	7. Baba Yaga

**7\. Baba Yaga – Op. 56 – Anatoly Lyadov**

Three days later Randy Cruz's protective services had proven either unnecessary or very, very discreet, which, given that Liv had only once seen someone slip very quickly into his car who might or might not have been her personal bodyguard, was a real possibility. In any case, her last few days in Dallas had been hectic but free of any nasty surprises or outright calamities. She had given her notice and worked her last few shifts, enlisted Beth and Judy's help to bake a basket of farewell muffins for her colleagues, emptied her locker and packed up her things. Yesterday, Iris had overseen the moving guys Eric had hired and made sure that all the clothes, books, CDs, mementos and assorted possessions she wanted to take with her were loaded into the van, which had probably already reached its destination by now. All she had left here was a change of clothes, some toiletries and the furniture that would remain in her room. And of course, her aunts.

For their last evening together, they had put together a small picnic and Liv had asked one of the other nurses to cover the last few hours of her shift so she could spend some more time with her family. They had spread out a blanket in their backyard and had just talked, reminisced and planned. There had been a few moments of wistfulness and sadness, but overall their conversation had been optimistic and hopeful, full of laughter, excitement and a few joking admonishments. Gradually their voices tapered off as they enjoyed the last few rays of warm sunlight and waited for Godric to rise from the ground.

"I must admit I never imagined we'd have a vampire spending the day buried in our backyard when they came out of the coffin four years ago," Iris said, eating the last few forkfuls of cucumber salad right from the bowl.

"That's what you said about Sergei joining the orchestra," Beth pointed out with a teasing twinkle in her eyes. "And you love playing with him even if some of the rehearsals have to be during nighttime."

"What can I say? That man just knows how to treat a piano," Iris said with a grin, flopping back down on the blanket and resting her head on Beth's stomach. "Though now that I think about it, I don't know where he sleeps. Just imagine, maybe he has his own little hidey-hole in our conductor's backyard."

"I find it more likely that he's sleeping in his own apartment," Godric said, suddenly standing in front of them. "Sergei doesn't like to use his hands for manual labor."

"Good point. He once told me he gets a professional manicure once a week," Iris agreed as they all got up.

They exchanged a round of greetings and Liv gently brushed a bit of dirt from Godric's shoulders. "Did you want to take a shower before we leave? Or have something to eat?"

"I can take a shower if you would like to have a few more minutes with your aunts," Godric offered obligingly.

But Liv shook her head and started to pull on an extra layer of clothing, adding a jacket, scarf, knitted cap and gloves. It had been decided (and Liv was trying valiantly to see it as the most practical and expedient solution) that Godric would fly them to New Orleans. Eric had called the night before to inform them that the queen expected to see both of them at their earliest convenience, i.e. before they were allowed to settle anywhere in her queendom. He hadn't sounded overly worried about this change of plans, but then again, he hadn't exactly been forthcoming with details, either, which left Liv rather at a loss of what to expect.

In any case, their original idea of going by car had been abandoned since she didn't trust herself to drive such a long distance after hours of work and Godric seemed wary of any machine or device that had more than two buttons. She doubted very much that he had a valid driver's license. Flying would be faster, anyhow, and considering that Eric seemed to be expecting the Magister to show up in Dallas and drag Godric away in silver chains any evening now, that was the argument that had convinced Liv. So they would fly and it would be perfectly safe, as Godric had assured her more than once and with an increasingly wounded look in his eyes.

"I'm good. I think we had all the hugs and well wishes and tears that can be justified for me just moving to a neighboring state," Liv said with a forced little smile.

"It'll be your first time away from home. We're allowed to be a bit emotional," Beth corrected and pulled her into another hug to prove her point; Iris joined in a moment later. "We love you, honey."

"I love you too," Liv murmured, squeezing them a little tighter. "Thank you both for everything."

"We're family. No thanks necessary," Iris replied, her flippant tone not quite matching the strength of her grip.

"You're our daughter in all the ways that count and we couldn't be prouder of the woman you've become," Beth added and slowly broke up their group hug.

"And Godric," Iris said, turning to the vampire and ignoring Liv's desperately shaking head. "Liv says I'm not allowed to threaten you, but I'm sure we understand each other when I tell you that I know a guy who sells guns and wooden bullets."

"You should get the ones with a silver core. I'm told they have a better trajectory," Godric replied very seriously.

"Okay, that's enough of that, thank you," Liv spoke up, grabbing the bag with the rest of her things and moving towards Godric. "I'll call you when we get there. Godric, let's go."

"Iris, Beth, thank you for trusting me with your niece. I promise I will take care of her for as long as she will allow it," Godric said earnestly and then adjusted Liv's scarf so it covered her up to her nose and took her bag from her. "I promise I will never let you fall."

"I know. I know that," Liv said and clambered onto Godric's back with one last deep breath. "But I'm still a bit nervous so just… don't take it personally if I can't enjoy it as much as you do."

"I could run instead," Godric offered immediately, trying to look at her over his shoulder. "I don't want you to be afraid."

"I won't be afraid," Liv promised, linking her arms in front of Godric's chest and trying to contain the tremor of her hands. "Not as long as I'm with you. Now go."

She squeezed her eyes shut as soon as she felt Godric gently lift off and realized at the same time that she may not be able to keep the promise she had just made. She barely called a choked goodbye to her aunts before she buried her face against Godric's shoulder and did her best to pretend that Godric's feet were still firmly planted on the ground and that the air rushing in her face was merely a particularly strong gale of wind.

v---v

"Liv, you can open your eyes now," Godric urged her gently, releasing her legs and settling them carefully onto the good solid ground some interminable time later.

She blew out a long breath and told her arms to unfreeze from their grid-locked position around Godric's neck and then finally opened her eyes to the nightly darkness. She needed a moment to adjust, but when she could see again she found that they were standing by a small copse of trees, in a patch of untended, knee-high grass and that "they" also included Eric, who was watching her with obvious amusement.

"Good evening and welcome to Louisiana, Liv," Eric greeted her. "You're looking a little green today. Not sure it's your color."

Liv would have liked to reply with some witty comeback, but her rebelling stomach took precedence and instead she folded in on herself and waited for the nausea to pass, for the tremors to subside.

"Liv doesn't like flying," Godric informed Eric, though that was a vast understatement.

She had opened her eyes all of two times during their flight, once because Godric had gently cajoled her and enticed her with wondrous descriptions of the beautiful night sky, and the other time because she had accidently triggered one of her visions and had needed something to mitigate the aftershocks. She had regretted it both times as it had only confirmed the knowledge that they were travelling at inhuman speeds through the air, with no logical explanation and not even the suggestion of a safety net beneath them. Godric had done his best to reassure her and to distract her with conversation, but his words had been hard to hear over the whipping of the air and her own anxiety and Liv hadn't registered more than ten percent of what he'd said. She would have to apologize for that later.

Godric had knelt down next to her in the grass and patiently rubbed circles into her back until she felt a little more settled and could look up again. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but this doesn't look like New Orleans. Where are we?"

"A little outside of Baton Rouge," Godric answered, helping her to her feet. "I thought you might like a break and a chance to ask some questions before you meet Sophie-Anne."

"Yes, that sounds good, thank you," Liv replied with soft gratitude. "I'm sorry I'm such a bad passenger. I just… I really don't like flying and I might need a little more time to get over my fear and air-sickness."

"You don't ever have to apologize for the way you feel," Godric assured her.

"Thank you," Liv said, reaching for Godric's hand and enjoying the freedom her gloves afforded her. "Do you think we could take a few steps? My legs still feel like jelly and it would help me to have the ground under my own two feet."

"There's a roadhouse not too far from here and it would be a good idea to eat something before your audience with the queen," Eric said, pointing them in the right direction.

"Why do you keep saying it like that? I thought this meeting was about Godric," Liv wanted to know as she took the first few wobbly steps after the tall vampire, grateful for Godric's stabilizing hold.

"That's a mere formality. Sophie-Anne would be a fool not to welcome Godric with open arms," Eric replied dismissively.

"Louisiana has the highest vampire population in the United States, but most vampires here are still young, inexperienced and often undisciplined," Godric explained, easily lifting Liv over the wooden fence that was between them and a promising gravel path. "Having older vampires in her queendom will strengthen her position."

"But I thought you were persona non grata," Liv said, but then winced at her choice of words. "Sorry, I shouldn't have used that term."

"I admit Latin is not my favorite language," Godric replied with a little shrug and a forgiving smile. "But I find it quite fascinating that English has absorbed so many foreign words into its standard vocabulary. I could hardly ask you to avoid all of Latin origin, even if they made me uncomfortable."

"How many languages do you speak?" Liv asked.

"Only about a dozen that are still spoken today," Godric answered readily, laughing at her astonished look, and then added sweetly, "I'd call you beautiful in all of them."

Liv blushed, chastising herself for being so susceptible to Godric's charm and trying to ignore the snort she could hear from up ahead.

"Sorry. Eric says that was too tawdry," Godric apologized, looking chagrined and disappointed.

"And I say that Eric should keep his opinions to himself and let me enjoy my compliments," Liv replied mildly, smiling at her vampire cavalier. "That was very sweet, thank you, Godric. However, I think we got a little off topic. Why is this meeting about me, not you? You're the vampires; she's your queen. Why would she even care that I exist?"

"Bill blabbed," Eric replied as if that explained anything and then sighed when Liv sent him an unimpressed look. "He told the queen about your abilities."

"What?" Liv asked, sucking in a harsh breath. "She knows? And you think it's a good idea to bring me right to her? Without even telling me?"

"We're telling you now," Eric pointed out.

"I won't let any harm come to you, Liv," Godric promised before she could snap at Eric, lightly caressing her arm. "You're mine and the queen will respect that. I promise."

Liv sighed, swallowing her anger and trying for a more level-headed tone, "I appreciate that, Godric. But it's still not acceptable to withhold information like this. You need to tell me what's going on – before making decisions that affect me."

"I'm sorry that I upset you, Liv. You were so worried already. I didn't want to add to that," Godric explained, looking at her apologetically. "We will answer all of your questions now."

"Thank you," Liv replied, weaving her fingers through Godric's. "So what should I expect this evening?"

"Well, first of all, it might interest you to know that Bill told the queen about you because he hoped to distract her from the human he was sent to procure for her majesty," Eric started, slowing his long strides to keep pace with Godric's and Liv's shorter legs.

"Sookie?" Liv asked and received a nod in reply. "She thinks he's in love with her."

"Maybe he is," Godric offered, ignoring Eric's eloquent snort. "He's risking a lot to keep Miss Stackhouse for himself. Betraying his sheriff, stalling his queen."

Privately, Liv tended more towards Eric's obvious skepticism in regards to Bill's honest intentions, but she was self-aware enough to realize that at least part of that was colored by her own personal misgivings towards the broody vampire for apparently hawking around with her secrets. "What does the queen want with Sookie? Or with me for that matter?"

"Unfortunately, whatever Bill told Sophie-Anne about you seems to have roused her interest, though her official position remains that she wants Sookie as her court telepath and that your own talents would be a very poor consolation prize," Eric said, then added a rather half-hearted, "No offense."

Liv shrugged. "So is there an unofficial position that would explain why Bill thought selling me out was a good idea?"

"Bill is an idiot. I find that explanation works for most occasions," Eric answered sardonically.

"I would guess that he noticed certain similarities between the smell of your blood and Miss Stackhouse's," Godric corrected, carefully nudging her around a pothole. "It's not the same, but for a vampire as young and inexperienced as Bill Compton the differences might be too subtle. And whatever Sophie-Anne claims – it's never not about the blood."

Liv tried hard not to apply that to herself and her friendship with Godric and was surprised when Eric stepped in to reassure her, "Which is not to say that it's all about blood – even if yours smells particularly mouth-watering."

"Thank you, Eric. Though I'm not sure I should take that as a compliment," Liv replied with a cautious attempt at humor.

"Oh, believe me, when I pay you a compliment, you'll know it," Eric replied, sending her another toothy grin.

By now, they had reached the end of the little pathway they had been following and Liv could make out an illuminated one-storied building only a couple of paces away, across a mostly empty parking lot. With its tiny, embrasure-like windows and the sloping, moss-covered roof it looked less than inviting, but as long as they served something warm to drink and she had two impossibly strong vampires at her side, Liv was willing to risk it.

"Do you have any more questions about Sophie-Anne before we go inside?" Godric asked, carefully pulling her to a stop. "Anything that worries you?"

"This entire situation worries me," Liv admitted softly. "What reason did she give for wanting to meet me?"

"Curiosity," Eric replied with a shrug. "Which in her case, might actually be the truth. Her thirst for knowledge certainly rivals her thirst for blood."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Liv said, trying to clear her head. "I think I'm ready to go inside now."

She still didn't know quite what to expect, but she felt better equipped to get through her audience with the Vampire Queen of Louisiana now that she had at least some of the details. And the fact that both Godric and Eric seemed so calm and unconcerned also helped to settle her nerves. Besides, she was honestly rather cold. She feared the hours of flight, with the cold wind and Godric's cool body underneath her grip, had caused her to go slightly hypothermic and though the night air in Louisiana was just as warm as in Texas, she really longed for a nice cup of tea to wrap her hands around and a comfortable seat to rest her body.

She had scaled down her expectation when she had seen the roadhouse from the outside, but inside it had a rather homey atmosphere, with a long polished bar to the left, a spattering of small round tables in the middle and a row of seating booths on the right. The tables all sported small vases with colorful field flowers on a white napkin and the lighting was rather more cheerful than it had looked from the outside. Still, it was either already too late or it was a very quiet night as only a handful of patrons were nursing drinks at the bar.

Eric led them over to one of the corner booths, seating himself on the outer edge of one of the benches and stretching his long legs out into the room. Godric indicated for Liv to take a seat on the other side and slipped onto the bench next to her.

Liv had only just peeled off the outer layer of her clothes and plucked the menu from the little holder before a waitress in a pink tank top and a pair of cut-off jeans appeared next to them, staring unabashedly and with open admiration at Eric while dismissing Godric and her out of sight.

"Good evening, sir," she breathed, batting her eyes for all she was worth. "I'm Wanda and I'll be your waitress tonight. What can I do you for?"

"Two Tru Bloods – AB positive if you have it – and whatever my friend wants from the menu," Eric replied, sounding bored, and Liv didn't know whether to be more surprised that he had called her a friend or that he didn't even spare a glance for Wanda's rather pert breasts or shapely legs.

"I'm sorry, we only have the real stuff," Wanda replied with a tinkling little laugh and brushed one of her pigtails behind her freckled shoulder to expose a bite mark on her neck. "Can I interest you in any of that?"

"No," Eric answered curtly and turned to Liv. "Do you know what you want to order?"

"I have Tru Blood in my bag," Liv said, addressing Wanda. "Do you have a microwave where you could warm it up?"

"You're not allowed to bring drinks and food into the restaurant," Wanda replied, putting one hand on her waist and throwing her an annoyed glare. "And I heard that swill tastes like you pickled something nasty, anyway."

Liv arched an eyebrow at that charming description. She knew that most vampires found the synthetic blood less than toothsome, but it satisfied all their nutritional needs and kept them healthy and that was what Godric needed right now. His appetite had slowed over the last few days and he was down to two bottles a night, but according to Eric that was still more than ten times the amount he should require and Liv didn't think skipping a meal was something Godric should be doing at the moment. That's why she had packed the remaining two bottles of Tru Blood into her travel bag.

Meanwhile, Eric sighed. "Wanda, could you lean down a little?" The audacious waitress beamed and complied readily, resting her hands on the tabletop and offering Eric a no doubt excellent view down her cleavage. "Wanda, you don't really care about that stupid rule, do you?" Eric continued and his voice went smooth and hypnotic, like the sensual caress of a lover, easily pulling Wanda under his spell. "In fact, you'd be happy to warm these two bottles up for us." He expectantly snapped his fingers in Liv's direction and she quickly dug the bottles out of her bag, pushing them over to Eric, who handed them to the waitress, all without once breaking eye contact with her. "And you'll bring my friend…"

"Chamomile tea and soup of the day," Liv supplied quickly, watching in fascination as Eric repeated her order and then released the waitress from his influence with a few last admonishments to do her job without harassing the customers and to keep her unqualified opinions about Tru Blood to herself from now on.

Wanda righted herself with a little shake. "I'll just pop these in the microwave for you and I'll be right back with your order." She smiled brightly at all three of them and grabbed the bottles from the table before spinning on her heel and striding away with a bounce in her step.

Liv looked between the departing waitress and Eric for a moment. "Is that what usually happens when you walk into a bar?"

Eric grinned, leaning back and spreading his long arms along the backrest of the bench. "Well, usually I don't glamour anyone. It was just more expedient this way."

"Must be useful," Liv admitted, replacing the menu in its holder before turning to the quiet vampire next to her. "Are you okay?"

"I wish Eric hadn't done that," Godric said softly. "Not in front of you."

"Godric, you don't think that was the first time I saw someone being glamoured, do you?" Liv asked in surprise, reaching out to rest her hand on Godric's forearm. "I realize there's much potential for abuse here, but there's also potential for goodness. Did you know that the Blaustein Pain Treatment Center at the Johns Hopkins Hospital just hired a vampire to help patients suffering from chronic pain? And Elijah used to glamour Abigail so she wouldn't be so nervous before tests."

"That's not how most vampires use their glamour," Godric pointed out.

"No, but I know it's how you would use it," Liv answered immediately, catching Godric's gaze and hoping he could read the truth in her eyes. "And you're not responsible for anyone else or how they choose to use their abilities. Not even Eric. He looks pretty grown up to me."

"You think Eric is pretty?" Godric asked, a little furrow appearing between his eyebrows. "I think most people would describe him as handsome."

"I used 'pretty' in the sense of 'rather' or 'quite'," Liv explained with a smile. "And I think **you** 're handsome. Eric doesn't need anyone to stroke his ego."

Just then Wanda returned with their drinks and a bowl of broccoli cream soup for her, serving Eric last but with an over-the-top smile and another gratuitous view of her breasts, and Liv felt that just proved her point. There was no use denying that Eric was handsome, not to say striking; with his blond hair, laughing blue eyes and broad-shouldered build he could have been the star of any firefighters calendar and it probably hadn't done Godric's self-esteem any favors to be in such constant and ready comparison to him. Godric would always be stuck in the body of a boy just barely out of puberty and never grow taller than the modest 5'8'' he had reached before his human death. But it was an image that didn't bear up to closer scrutiny, didn't want to fit his softly measured way of speaking, the calm wisdom in his almond-shaped eyes, the serene authority he wielded without even seeming to realize how he affected the people around him. And personally, Liv really liked the kind warmth of his eyes, his quirked smile and the intriguing sneak peeks she had gotten of his tattoos. She would have told him all of that, but from the beatific smile on Godric's face and the contented way he started to sip on his Tru Blood that wasn't necessary.

Liv smiled as well and released his arm to turn to her own tea, gratefully wrapping her cold hands around the cup and feeling warmth gradually seep back into her body. She breathed a sigh of relief and then started to eat her soup slowly in hopes that it would help to settle her stomach.

"Don't you like the soup?" Godric asked, wordlessly accepting Eric's half-full bottle of Tru Blood after he had finished his own.

"It's a bit salty, but it's warm and that's all I care about right now," Liv answered with a shrug, taking another spoonful. "Can I ask you something? Could you glamour me so that I'm no longer afraid of flying?"

"Is that something you would want?" Godric asked in surprise, putting down his Tru Blood and focusing entirely on her. "It would only mask your true feelings and it would wear off eventually."

"I understand that, but I'm feeling nervous enough about this meeting and…" Liv trailed off helplessly, not wanting to admit how absolutely terrified she was of having to suffer through another flight.

Godric's eyes softened in understanding and he reached out to pat her forearm. "Of course. I promise I won't abuse your trust."

Liv gently rolled her eyes. "That's the last thing I'm worried about. Thank you."

Godric answered that with another smile and they finished their respective meals quickly before Liv excused herself to go to the toilet and try to straighten her wind-blown hair. When she got back, Eric and Godric were already waiting for her at the door and as she approached she just caught the tail-end of an argument between them.

"Det räcker. Jag har sagt nej,(1)" Godric was saying and smoothly moved to help Liv into her jacket.

"Is there a problem?" Liv asked, pulling on her gloves as they stepped out into the night.

"I suggested to Godric to bite you now," Eric replied, ignoring Godric's denial. "It would reinforce his claim on you."

"And you still don't trust yourself?" Liv asked Godric. "You're being pretty hard on yourself, you know?"

"'Pretty' in the sense of 'quite' or 'rather'?" Godric asked drolly.

"'Pretty' in every sense," Liv replied with a smile, once more taking Godric's hand and giving it a light squeeze.

"I'm still drinking more than usual and I don't want either of us to worry for even a second that I will lose control," Godric explained. "I want to be able to focus on you."

"Okay, I'll wait," Liv agreed gently. "And you can tell the queen that I was sick to explain why you haven't bitten me."

Eric pulled in a deep, unnecessary breath, but seemed to accept their decision. "In that case you should glamour Liv so that we can be on our way."

"Should I do anything?" Liv asked, turning to Godric and obediently stepping a little closer.

"Just look at me and try to relax. Trust me," Godric said softly, taking the scarf from her hands and carefully wrapping it around her neck. He pulled the woven material a little higher up, so that he could frame her face between his hands without making skin contact and when he continued to speak his voice had the same hypnotic, low cadence as Eric's had had before. His eyes became fathomless pools and Liv wanted to submerge herself in the calm serenity of his mind, let go of all fears and doubts and let herself fall. She wanted to. But instead of resonating deep within her, Godric's words slid off the surface of her conscience, even less effective than the autogenic training she had tried as a teenager. And as soon as Godric mentioned flying, she felt their fragile connection snap and despite Godric's soothing tone all his following suggestions scraped along her nerves like sanding paper.

"I don't think this is working," Liv brought out and Godric immediately gave her free. "Something's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong," Godric corrected her gently. "Can you take a few deep breaths for me? That's it. There was always a chance that it wouldn't work. You're a very strong-willed young woman and you know your own mind."

Liv mutely shook her head, doing her best to calm her breathing and failing miserably. Instead of muting her anxiety, as she had hoped, Godric's attempt at glamouring had rubbed away even the last veneer of her calm, the thin layer of cold rationality that she had managed to paste over her illogical fear. And she knew it was illogical, baseless, senseless. The worst that could happen was for her to get air-sick again. Godric would never let her come to any actual harm. Yet still.

"You might just have more in common with Sookie Stackhouse than we thought," Eric offered, studying her with renewed interest. "And being immune to glamouring is quite an advantage. As Godric said, most vampires will have far more nefarious purposes."

"Not helpful, Eric," Liv pressed out between bloodless lips while her heart beat erratically in her chest. "I need a moment. But I'll be fine. It's all fine. I know that flying with you is safe. It's probably even safer than going by plane and that's one of the safest ways to travel."

Godric acknowledged that with a small nod, but then said, "It's alright to be afraid, Liv. It took Eric more than a hundred years to get me to learn how to swim and I can't even drown. We'll run instead. It might take a little longer, but you've been brave enough for one day."

Liv blew out a shaky breath, resting her forehead against Godric's shoulder and murmured a quiet thank you. Normally she would have asked if he was sure, but, honestly, she couldn't argue with his assessment right now. For a while, they just stood there, Liv leaning against Godric's chest and Godric rubbing soothing circles into her back until she was feeling calmer and less like a house of cards one breath away from collapse.

When she eventually insisted that she was ready to go, Godric took her piggyback with a few easy movements. "Close your eyes," he coached her softly. "Don't open them. The air isn't as clear down here and I don't want anything to get in your eye."

Liv nodded against his back and tightened her arms when Godric started to run, at a human pace at first, but quickly passing into supernatural speed. She kept her eyes closed for most of the distance, but the few times she opened them, the world around them was a blur, only coming back into focus when Godric slowed to make sure she was okay. Surprisingly, she was. Running wasn't necessarily easier on her stomach, but it was definitely better for her nerves and when Godric finally came to a halt and gently set her down, she found her footing after only a few moments.

* * *

(1) That's enough. I said no.


	8. Le grand divertissement royal

**8\. Le grand divertissement royal de Versailles – LWV 38 – Jean-Baptiste Lully**

They were standing in front of a grand pool house, marble slabs bridging the outdoor pools in a cross that divided the emerald green water into four smaller pools. With the columns that framed the entrance way and the stone ornaments that ran horizontally along the roof, it reminded Liv a bit of a Greek mausoleum, though that probably hadn't been the intended effect.

"Are you cold? How are you feeling?" Godric asked her, folding her scarf, hat and gloves into her bag when she handed them to him.

"Nervous," Liv admitted, but managed a smile for the dark-haired vampire. "Do you have any last-minute advice?"

"Be respectful, don't speak out of turn and do something with your hair," Eric suggested immediately and with an impudent grin. "If that's something you think you can manage."

Liv rolled her eyes, taking her bag from Godric and rummaging for the pocket brush that had naturally slid to the very bottom. She loosened her messy braid and did her best to brush out all the tangles and knots, though at the end her hair still felt rather frizzy and there was no use even attempting a hairstyle without a mirror, comb and probably a ton of hairspray.

"You're beautiful," Godric assured her and from Eric she received at least a moderately enthusiastic "Better" before he strode towards the black-clad watchman that guarded the entrance door.

"Stay at my side," Godric murmured softly.

He put one arm around her waist, keeping her close as they followed Eric inside, past the round arch door and the silent guard. Inside, the pool house was surreally bright, seemingly drenched in sunlight and while Liv had to blink rapidly to adjust her eyes to the sudden brightness, she felt Godric stiffen ever so slightly next to her.

"It seems a pity to board up all these windows like that," she commented in a whisper. "I bet the view would be fantastic. Even at night."

Godric sent her a quick, grateful smile before he led her over to where Eric and presumably the Queen of Louisiana were already seated. The female vampire was one of the most stylish women Liv had ever laid eyes on. She was dressed in an all-white jumpsuit that left her shoulders bare and flattered her trim figure, in combination with delicate high-heeled sandals and an abundance of pearl jewelry. With her beautiful auburn hair coiffed to perfection, her lashes curled and painted, her lips a bold red and her body lasciviously draped over the furniture, she looked like the live version of a magazine cover.

While Liv had taken in the queen's impeccable appearance, the queen had scrutinized her as well and Liv had the distinct impression that she was found lacking.

"I would hardly call that an improvement," the queen said with a scornful little finger point at her. "What is it you call that on your head? A rat's nest?"

"I don't think I had the right hair spray for this trip," Liv admitted, trying to bring some additional order to her hair by running her fingers through it. "But it's nice to meet you, your majesty."

"Manners, at last," Sophie-Anne replied with an affected little smirk. "Such a beautiful waste of time. But I've waited long enough for you to finally get here. I want to know if you're really as special as William Compton made you out to be."

Within one blink of the eye, the scene around Liv changed completely and seamlessly, as if they had reached a cut in a movie and she was the only one who had missed her cue.

"Don't touch me," Liv snapped out, belatedly, finding that Godric was suddenly between her and the queen, not threatening exactly, but like a very real and effective buffer. Even more surprising was the fact that Eric had also moved to her side, as if prepared to throw her over his shoulder and swoop her off to safety if things should escalate.

At her words the tension ratcheted up even more palpably and she quickly corrected herself, trying to diffuse the situation, "Sorry, what I meant to say is: Please don't touch me, your majesty, or I'm going to throw up in your pool. Traveling vampire-style doesn't agree with my stomach and these visions can be rather jarring."

"So fragile," the queen huffed, but she seemed more annoyed than angry as she flopped back onto her chaise lounge. "But fine. Let's deal with other matters first. From everything Eric told me about his magnificent maker, I was expecting you to be more… more."

She had turned her attention to Godric, looking him up and down with the same appraising eyes that had already found Liv to be a few scores short of acceptable. Godric shrugged his shoulders as he sat down next to Liv again and replied mildly, "I always look short next to Eric."

Sophie-Anne wrinkled her delicate nose, but then moved on, apparently deeming that by explaining the slight to Godric it would lose most of its potency. "I had a dreadfully dull call from the Magister this evening. Apparently I would be a fool to welcome you to my queendom."

"Your majesty." Eric straightened in his seat. "Whatever the Magister has told you -"

"- is completely irrelevant," Sophie-Anne interrupted him, waving one of her elegant hands. "That little prick condemns everything that doesn't conform to his narrow-minded view of the world and probably hasn't conceived of an individual thought in his entire existence. For all I care, he can go fuck himself with that stick up his ass, and even that would be boring."

Eric inclined his head in something like agreement. "Respectfully, your majesty, may I enquire if you will agree to Godric living in my area?"

"With certain conditions," the queen replied and focused back on Godric without missing a beat. "Eric has already assured me that you're willing to pay double the usual tribute, so that's something, but I do require further assurances. I don't fancy having to deal with a two-thousand-year-old rogue vampire in my queendom."

"I understand, of course," Godric answered softly. "I'm perfectly willing to swear fealty to you for as long as I shall reside in your queendom."

"And what of your ability to command Eric as his maker?" Sophie-Anne demanded shrewdly. "The Magister was very clear that you're to be banned from all positions of authority for the next hundred years or so. I cannot allow the impression to arise that one of my sheriffs is nothing more than your marionette. You will have to release him."

"No," Eric protested immediately and much to Liv's relief. "We will not break our bond. If that is a concern for you I will resign my post, effective immediately."

"You most certainly will not! Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a sheriff who's at least marginally competent?" the queen said and showed just a hint of fang. "Come now, surely after hundreds of years, you can walk a few centuries without your maker holding your hand? Aren't you ready to finally slip your leash?"

"I do not see it that way, your majesty," Eric replied with forced calm. "I have never felt that Godric limited my independence or freedom in any way."

Godric exchanged a long look with his progeny before he said. "We understand your position, your majesty, but I will only release Eric when that is his wish. I can however promise that I will not interfere in Eric's duties as sheriff from this point forward."

"You worded that very carefully," the queen observed, inspecting her perfectly manicured nails as if they warranted much more of her attention than the conversation. "Have you interfered with Eric's duties before?"

"Not as such," Godric replied with his usual mansuetude. "Though I did command Eric to cease the selling of our blood on your behalf."

The queen gave an enraged scream and moved at a speed that was too fast for Liv to track, wrapping her long, delicate-looking fingers around Godric's throat. Liv couldn't say exactly what she had intended to do – whether to push Godric down on the ground or to jerk him up to his feet – but with Godric still seated and his head only slightly tilted up to meet her angry stare, she was forced to bend down low which made her stance rather more awkward than threatening. Godric reached out to gently pat Liv's arm, probably to assure her that everything was still in order.

"Do you think it wise to subvert the orders of your future monarch like that?" the queen asked through extended fangs, and her voice was filled with all the threat her stance lacked. "You will take back your command and Eric will sell the rest of the blood. Then we need not speak of it further."

"The blood is sacred," Godric replied with a mild note of reproach in his voice.

"Your majesty, maybe I can resolve this impasse," Eric spoke up, giving the impression that he couldn't quite decide whose side he should be on – Liv wasn't fooled though, and she suspected that neither was the queen. "The blood is already sold, though I must admit at a bit of a discount."

The queen pulled back, fuzzily brushing down her clothes as she straightened. "Explain."

"If you will remember we had that small maenad problem in my area and after your invaluable advice, I instructed Pam to give the blood to the shifter. He used it to recover from the maenad's attack and then tricked her into believing she had successfully summoned her god so that he could kill her."

"And you gave him a discount?" the queen demanded, dismissing Eric's tale about the maenad.

"Half price seemed reasonable considering the good cause," Eric replied easily. "The money will be deposited as usual, if we come to an agreement tonight."

"Fine," Sophie-Anne answered after a short moment of consideration and Liv was sure that she had not missed the subtle threat in Eric's words. "Let's close that chapter and never mention it again. You will swear an oath of fealty to me and of obedience to Eric as your sheriff. I will also need that in writing so that I can shove it in the Magister's face if he kicks up a stink about this."

"Of course, your majesty," Godric agreed and Eric added his own nod.

"Great. Welcome to Louisiana, Godric. And friend," Sophie-Anne answered, turning her keen gaze onto Liv again and extending her hand at normal human speed. "Shall we?"

"You don't have to," Godric murmured, moving to block her from the queen again.

Before Liv could answer, Eric intervened as well, addressing the queen with another carefully worded suggestion, "Perhaps this demonstration could wait a little longer. Dawn is approaching and Liv is certainly tired. I believe you would receive a more accurate reading if she were better rested."

Liv wanted to point out that her curse did not allow her to give "readings" and that her energy levels had very little bearing on what she would see. But sitting quietly next to Godric had allowed the excitement to slowly seep out of her body and though she could probably rouse herself if need be, stretching out on a bed and going to sleep sounded rather heavenly.

Sophie-Anne sent her another evaluating look, but Liv suspected that she looked pathetic and bedraggled enough that Eric's argument seemed convincing to the queen.

"Fine, but there will be no more delays tomorrow," she said, leaning back in her chair and flipping open the magazine that had been on the small coffee table next to her. "And maybe you can even make yourself look less like the girl from _The Ring_ for our next meeting."

"You watch horror movies? Do you even find them scary?" Liv blurted out, surprised when the queen turned to her with an amused smile.

"Oh, certainly. As a mental exercise they're very useful. They convey a level of immediacy and wealth of emotions that is really quite rewarding. It's been a long time since I felt as afraid and incidentally as alive as the characters in those movies," Sophie-Anne replied. "You may feel free to sample my collection if you find yourself with a bit of time during the day. It has grown quite extensive over the years. My human companion Hadley can show you to the entertainment center, if you're interested."

"Thank you, I'll do that. Though just to see your collection. I don't really like to watch horror movies by myself," Liv answered, thinking of the last movie night with her aunts where Beth had picked an indie horror flick that had turned into a slasher movie very, very quickly.

"Hadley refuses to watch them at all. She says they give her nightmares," Sophie-Anne bemoaned with a small sigh before focusing her sharp gaze on Liv again. "I suspect every day is a bit like a screening of _Final Destination_ for you."

"That's… a very astute observation," Liv agreed, leaning lightly into Godric's touch as he nudged her to her feet with a gentle hand on the small of her back. "I only watched part of the first movie, but I admit it hit a little too close to home. Good night, your majesty, and thank you for your hospitality."

"You're welcome," the queen said and gave her a regal little nod before she turned back to her magazine. "Eric, you know the way to the guest rooms. Ludis will see to your needs. You're dismissed."

"Thank you, your majesty," Eric murmured with a small inclination of his head, and Godric echoed him.

They left the same way they had come, through the round arch door and over the stone bridge that divided the pools, though this time they turned left and followed a gravel path and a short flight of stairs up to a stately mansion. To either side Liv could see sculpted gardens with manicured lawns, maze-like hedges and impressive fountains. The mansion was built in the same Mediterranean style as the pool house and Liv wondered at the practicality of the many ceiling-high windows that surely afforded a fantastic view over the gardens and the shoreline, but would offer no protection against sunlight.

"The guestrooms are in the west wing where all the windows have been made light-tight," Eric said, maybe interpreting Liv's skeptical gaze. "The queen's humans can move freely through the rest of the mansion during the day, though you might need a code to enter certain areas."

They had passed through the opulence of the entrance hall and Eric navigated them with ease through several hallways, corridors and walkthrough-rooms that seemed to be engaged in a silent, but fierce contest of lavishness, surpassing each other with carved and exquisitely painted ceilings, polished floors, sparkling chandeliers, sofas, chaises and armchairs with white leather upholstery, delicately carved wooden furniture and golden curlicues.

"You're calmer now," Godric observed as they turned down another corridor. "The queen didn't scare you?"

"A little," Liv admitted. "When she attacked you. But overall I think she's quite admirable. I like her."

"Even though she insulted your hair?" Eric asked, opening another ornate door and waving them through.

Liv rolled her eyes. "If you showed me a mirror right now, I'd probably have a lot worse to say about my hair. Besides, you insulted my hair and you're still my second favorite vampire."

"And the queen is your favorite?" Godric asked, but with a small hopeful smile that warmed her heart.

Liv laughed, brushing shoulders with the dark-haired vampire. "No. That spot is already firmly reserved for you. No worries."

They exchanged another smile and turned, finally it seemed, into a long hallway with a row of darkened windows on the left and numbered doors on the right.

"Would you mind if Eric shared a room with us?" Godric asked carefully as they came to a stop in front of room number 8.

"No, of course not," Liv replied easily and curiously peered into the room when Eric pushed open the door. "Wow. Did you pick this room because of the bed? It would be perfect for a pillow fight."

The bed in question could be seen through the wide-flung double doors that led from the anteroom into the bedroom. It was a canopied monstrosity in gold and white that would easily fit the three of them and boasted an entire arsenal of pillows of all shapes and sizes. The anteroom was surprisingly plain, though even here the general color scheme of white and gold prevailed in the overstuffed armchairs and ottomans that had been arranged around a sleek glass table. The room was lightened up by a crystal chandelier and an electric fire in the fireplace, the combination of which Liv found a little too much in the neatly arranged room.

"It's also perfect for orgies, if you must know," Eric confided with an exaggerated waggle of his eyebrows as he moved past her into the room.

"I didn't know you needed so many pillows for sex," Liv gave back dryly and valiantly ignored the heat in her cheeks.

"I'd be glad to demonstrate their many uses," Eric offered, gliding his long fingers over the satiny skin of one of the pillows.

Liv turned away from the sight, refusing to admit that a part of her longed to be touched like that, not by Eric, but by anyone, in general. By Godric. To feel his cool fingers gently caress her bare skin, from the inside of her wrist and along the web of bluish veins to the cubital fossa and up to her shoulder, touching all those mundane places that would be so very intimate to her. It would be perfect and it was impossible.

"Liv?" Godric asked, gently touching her elbow through her shirt. "Did Eric upset you?"

"I managed that all by myself," Liv replied and tried a little smile for the dark-haired vampire. "I should know better by now than to indulge in wishful thinking."

She thought for a moment that a shadow had passed over Godric's face, but in the next second there was once again only warmth and understanding in his eyes. "I will do everything I can to make all your wishes and dreams come true, Liv. I promise."

Liv smiled a little more freely at him and moved into his arms for a careful embrace. "I know you mean that, but nothing could make me happier than having you in my life. You don't have to promise me anything else."

Godric held her tighter for a moment, his fingers sliding into her hair and combing out some of the tangles. When he released her, his eyes looked a little red-rimmed, but his smile was open and genuine, the way she liked it best.

"You must be tired. It's been a long day and night for you," Godric observed, handing her her bag and directing her towards the adjoining bathroom. "Why don't you get ready for bed?"

"I'll be quick," Liv promised though by her estimation they still had another hour before sunrise and they were already safely indoors and shielded from sunlight. Their rooms didn't have any windows, not even the darkened windows from the corridor, and given Godric's reaction to the dioramas in the queen's pool house Liv was glad for that. She could only imagine how disconcerting the mirage of a sunroom must be for most vampires, especially after thousands of years of darkness. Perhaps that was half the point; the queen certainly seemed shrewd enough to want her guests a little wrong-footed in her presence.

She quickly used the facilities and brushed her teeth, doing her best not to look too closely at her mirror image. The few glances she caught of her hair were more than enough to convince her that the queen had still been rather restrained in her criticism. After she had worked out all the knots and tangles, or at least a good ninety percent of them, her hair still looked frizzy and her natural waves had transformed into an unflattering fuzzball. With a sigh she decided to postpone that particular challenge till the next day and just slung her hair into a loose braid.

When she had changed into her pajamas and left the bathroom, she found that both Godric and Eric had toed off their shoes and were having a quiet conversation, completely ignoring the young man who was hovering uncertainly next to the main door.

"Hi," Liv greeted and added a little wave. "I'm Liv and you are?"

"I am Ludis," the young man answered with a thick accent and his full lips stretched into a friendly smile. "I am a human of the queen. She said her guests are hungry?"

"I'm not hungry," Godric insisted, maybe in response to Ludis' words or as a counter-argument to whatever Eric had just murmured. "And I don't want to feed from this human."

"I taste very good, the queen said," Ludis protested, tilting up his chin and exposing a fresh bite mark on his neck.

"I'm sure that's true and it's a very high compliment," Liv soothed. "Still, I think two blood donors would be better. Is there another human you could ask?"

Ludis furrowed his brow and then pointed first at himself and then at Liv. "One. Two. Why need more?"

"I was sick so I couldn't donate blood. And Godric is still worried about me," Liv said and immediately felt slightly guilty underneath the sympathetic look Ludis sent her. "I will ask Daina. We will be back quick."

"Thank you," Liv said and waited until Ludis had closed the door behind him before she turned back to the two vampires, gently touching Godric's arm. "Are you still worried you'll lose control? Is that why you don't want to feed from Ludis?"

Godric mutely shook his head, but then explained. "I will not disrespect you by feeding from another human."

"I don't think it's disrespectful," Liv said softly. "And I don't know if you're hungry or even if you should be hungry, but do you think you could eat something? Just so that Eric and I don't have to worry?"

"You wouldn't mind?" Godric asked carefully.

Liv shook her head and her long braid swung gently between her shoulder blades. "Of course not. You should eat whatever you want to eat, whether that's Ludis' blood or his friend's or mine. Or Tru Blood if it's available, though I don't think you actually like the taste."

"It's not so bad," Godric replied with a disarming smile. "I enjoy the novelty of it."

Eric made a sound of distaste, but held back any comment of his own, instead looking expectantly down at the smaller vampire. Godric inclined his head ever so slightly just as there was a knock on the door.

"Would you mind going to bed now?" Godric asked of Liv while Eric bid Ludis and his female friend to enter. "I would prefer it if you didn't see this."

"Of course," Liv agreed readily, pressing a kiss to Godric's shoulder before she turned away. "Good night. Night, Eric."

"Good night, Liv," they called after her as she pulled the double doors between the anteroom and the bedroom closed.

The bed, as it turned out, was exactly as comfortable as it looked, and after she had moved two thirds of the pillows off of it, she snuggled under the covers. Her work as a nurse, the long hours and rotating shifts had made her sleep-wake pattern very flexible and staying awake for long stretches at time hardly registered as something unusual anymore. But she had also learned the value of falling asleep quickly and switching off any worries or concerns that would have kept her awake, tossing and turning and yet not finding a solution. She listened for a moment, but everything was quiet and Godric and Eric probably had everything well in hand. To be honest, she was still a bit surprised that Godric had asked her to leave, though as long as he had Eric at his side, there was no reason for concern. With that last reassuring thought, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.


	9. Salut d'Amour

**9\. Salut d'Amour – Liebesgruß – Op. 12 – Edward Elgar**

When she woke up, she needed a moment to orient herself and make sense of the heavy weight around her waist. She lifted her head a little and shook off the blanket that was all but smothering her to find that she was using Godric's chest as a pillow and that the heavy weight on her waist belonged to Eric, who was laying on Godric's other side and had thrown an arm over both of them. Both vampires were fast asleep and didn't react at all when she pushed off Eric's arm and rolled around to fumble for the light switch next to the bed.

There was no timid flickering of the lights; instead the chandelier in the middle of the room burst to life and flooded every corner with sparkling illumination. She blinked her eyes a few times to adjust them to the sudden influx of light and then took a closer look at the two vampires next to her. Godric was lying flat on his back, almost in the middle of the bed, with one hand resting lightly on his stomach and the other flung in Liv's direction. He was still wearing the same off-white linen shirt as the night before, though it was now slightly rumpled and gaped open at the collar, revealing the evenly spaced ink marks on his pale skin that circled his throat like a necklace. She reached out, tracing the little arrow heads with timid fingertips, but stopped short of pushing the sides of the V-neck collar further apart. She knew Godric wouldn't mind, but it still felt too invasive. She could only marvel at the trust both Eric and Godric were putting in her to allow her to be with them in this vulnerable, defenseless state. Even Eric looked harmless like this, with his long form describing a gentle curve around his maker and the muscles in his shirtless back relaxed and slack.

Eric's arm was lying at an awkward angle after she had pushed it off and she reached over to place it over Godric's torso again in a half embrace. She also adjusted the blanket around them, loosely tucking it around their lower halves and then leaned over Godric to press a soft kiss to his forehead. A few strands of Godric's soft brown hair tickled her nose and she wondered if maybe it had grown a little longer. She wasn't sure if that was even possible, though if vampire hair didn't grow, she guessed there would be a lot more vampires with unfortunate haircuts. Eric's hair was certainly shorter then when he had been made, barely brushing his ears instead of falling down to his shoulders, and it looked a shade or two lighter as well, though that didn't prove anything. She would just have to ask Godric some time.

She smoothed her thumbs over Godric's cheeks one last time, feeling not even a hint of stumble, and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth before she rolled out of bed. She got a change of clothes from her bag and took a long hot shower to try to tame her hair. The effects, as it turned out, were more than passable, which no doubt was also due to the half bottle of complimentary conditioner she had massaged into her long locks. In the end, her hair once more fell over her back in a smooth curtain of wavy curls, gleaming silkily under the sparkling lights of the chandelier.

Most of her clothes were functional rather than fashionable, but the dress she had packed for their trip was one of her favorites, with a snug black bodice and an airy, semi-transparent skirt with a pattern of multicolored flowers. It left her shoulders and arms bare so she added a light jacket, and slipped on flat sandals that disappeared beneath the fringe of her dress.

She checked on Godric and Eric again, not surprised that they were in exactly the same position she had left them in, and grabbed her phone, which someone – most likely Eric – had plugged in for her. It was just a little past one o'clock and she knew that Beth would be enjoying the last few minutes of her lunch break so she quickly dialed her aunt's number. They only had time for a brief update and a few short assurances, but they promised to video chat soon once Iris was also around so that Liv could tell them all about her meeting with the queen.

After they had hung up, Liv checked her messages, finding once again a slew of texts from Eric interwoven with a few messages from her former co-workers, who wanted to know about her new life. She answered those first, thanking them for their interest and typing out some general comments on Louisiana and questions of her own.

Then she turned her attention to the texts Eric had sent her and almost immediately wished she hadn't. He started off with a very unnecessary comment about her hair, continued to criticize her for taking up more than her allotted space in bed, accused her of snoring and complained about how much of a hassle it was to avoid all skin contact.

She would have stopped reading, but these insulting messages were interspersed with actually useful information about the mansion, the number code she would need to reenter the guest wing during the day and a note Godric had supposedly left for her. There was even an admonishment to stay safe and instructions in case she ran into trouble, but still the dichotomy of Eric's messages and the almost hostile tone of some of them left her unsettled and truthfully a little hurt. Of course Eric was entitled to his own opinions and he had said disparaging things before, but she had somehow thought that those had been in jest, good-natured teasing to distract from the fact that he liked her at least a little. But judging by these messages, he barely tolerated her presence and couldn't be bothered to extend even a modicum of consideration and respect on her behalf.

She took a deep breath, counted to ten and did her best to shelf whatever issue Eric had with her for later. She refused to let him ruin her day. Instead, she looked around for the note Godric had left her and quickly found it on the dresser, carefully propped against the statuette of a gilded angel. It certainly helped to chase away even the last of her dark thoughts:

> _My dearest Liv,_
> 
> _as I'm writing these lines you're lying next to me and I struggle for words to describe how beautiful and amazing you are to me, how I look at you and almost feel my heart jump in my chest and draw in a breath as if I actually needed to. It defies all logic, but I can see a light underneath your skin and I know it is your soul, your great capacity for kindness and empathy. It is that which has saved me and in time, I hope, I will have the privilege of learning to see the world, see myself through your eyes so that I may discover the parts of me that you found worthy of redemption. I will forever strive to be a man who deserves the trust, compassion and favor you have shown me. All the words in all the languages I know seem insufficient to express how grateful and honored I am to have you in my life._
> 
> _Social norms are ever changing and I don't know how to approach my question – if it is indeed a question I should ask or if I will seem horribly antiquated or worse, give offense. And yet, I would consider it disrespectful not to ask, even if I have already broken many of the rules I feel I should adhere to. I pray for your leniency in this as well._
> 
> _I would like to ask your permission to court you. I tried to ask your aunts, but Iris just laughed and Beth told me it wasn't necessary. I think it is. I have already taken too many liberties with your friendship and I will not presume to trespass further without your consent. Please make the decision that will make you happiest and know that whatever answer you give me I will accept gladly because you have already given me the greatest gift by considering me your friend._
> 
> _Yours,_
> 
> _Godric_

Liv quickly had to dash away a tear before it could roll down her cheek and smudge the neat cursive letters, perfectly dotted i's and crossed t's. She read the note a second and a third time. A love letter. Godric had written her a love letter and suddenly all those clichéd descriptions of happiness made absolute sense to her because she felt like she could hug the whole world, walk on air and dance with a herd of sparkly unicorns on cloud nine.

She could only remember one other time when she had been this happy – when Beth had officially adopted her – and now, too, it felt like a giant sinkhole in her heart was closing as something she had not dared hope for became reality. Godric's words laid all her worst fears to rest and quieted the insidious little voice in her head that reminded her of all the things that would never be in the cards for her when all she wanted to do was to be grateful for everything she did have. And as it turned out, that was quite a lot.

She probably had a besotted look on her face as she carefully smoothed Godric's letter and put it into the inside pocket of her bag for safe-keeping. Then she tore a sheet from the same notepad Godric must have used and wrote one single word in big block letters. She folded the note into a neat little square before placing it in Godric's hand, softly closing his fingers around her answer. She was tempted to just lie back down next to him and wait for him to wake up, but her stomach protested that idea with a loud rumble. So she made do with a chaste kiss to Godric's lips and then went in search of something to eat.

v---v

Liv spent most of the day in a daze. She knew she had had a really late breakfast on one of the mansion's many terraces with some of the queen's human companions and she was sure that the views had been fantastic and the food exquisite, but truthfully she couldn't remember what she had eaten or what they had talked about. The only names she had retained were Ludis and Hadley and that only because she had met Ludis the night before and because Hadley had offered to show her the queen's extensive movie collection.

Liv would have been quite content to browse the queen's cabinet of horrors and get lost in daydreams and a replay of Godric's letter, but Hadley had insisted on keeping her company, chatting on about her life at court and casually throwing in that Sookie was actually her cousin though they hadn't seen each other in years. Liv had really tried to pay attention, but she was afraid she hadn't been a very good listener and had gotten sidetracked by her own thoughts more often than not. Finally, she had admitted defeat and asked Hadley to show her the way back to the guestrooms.

"Oh, you've got it bad," Hadley said with a laugh and a shake of her head that made her blond curls bounce as Liv missed another turn and had to jog to catch up to her.

"Sorry." Liv blushed and tried her best to focus on Hadley and their conversation. "I guess I'm a bit distracted today."

"It's fine. I've been there," Hadley replied understandingly. "If you have found someone who can make you smile like that, you know they're the right one."

"Have you? With the queen?" Liv asked as they wound their way slowly back to the guest wing.

"Yeah, I think I have," Hadley answered with a bright smile of her own. "Don't get me wrong, it's not all roses and sunshine, but she's amazing, you know? I never met anyone like her. She's funny and smart and caring in her own way. And just look around you, I'm living the life of a fairytale princess – after she met her Prince Charming, of course."

"Do you ever miss your old life? Your family?" Liv asked, thinking that for her that would be a major flaw in Hadley's seemingly perfect life with the queen.

"Sometimes. I miss my gran and my cousins. But I never felt quite right with them, you know? I was always the black sheep of the family, the troublemaker. When I met Sophie-Anne I was a mess. I was living on the streets, doing all sorts stupid things most of which I can't even remember because I was so strung out on drugs. I wouldn't want to go back to that. No way."

Liv hummed in understanding. She knew only too well what it felt like to be the odd one out and felt a wave of sympathy for the other girl.

"But we weren't really talking about me," Hadley said with a grin and Liv had to take a quick step to the side to avoid her teasing elbow nudge. "Tell me about that boyfriend of yours!"

"He's not my boyfriend quite yet," Liv admitted, continuing quickly before Hadley got the wrong impression. "He left me this incredibly sweet letter, asking if I would allow him to court me, but I haven't given him my answer yet."

Hadley sighed happily. "A letter! He must be one of those proper old-school gentlemen! Hell, most guys I know think that texting 's'up' at a quarter past three in the morning is somehow romantic."

Liv chuckled, though if Hadley's joke was based on true experiences her dating history must have been rather bleak. And, unfortunately, it also reminded her off all the dispiriting texts on her own phone, which soured her good mood considerably.

"Did I say something wrong?" Hadley asked, peering at her with worry.

"No, it's not your fault." Liv shook her head, but managed to dispel neither her own preoccupation nor Hadley's concern. "It's just that Eric – Godric's progeny – sent me a bunch of mean texts and I don't quite know what to make of it."

"Eric Northman? Oh, he's a dreamboat," Hadley said with a little giggle. "And he's quite charming, isn't he?"

"He can be," Liv admitted as they turned into a corridor she vaguely recognized. "He was a great help with everything that needed to be done for our move. And I thought we were getting along well, but now it's as if he flipped a switch."

"Maybe he's pulling your pigtails," Hadley suggested, but Liv shook her head in denial. "That's not it. I'm sure Eric knew what Godric was going to ask me and he wouldn't jeopardize that. I've never met anyone who's as fiercely loyal as Eric. I think maybe he plain doesn't like me."

"I'm sure you can win him over," Hadley declared encouragingly. "That's important if you want your relationship with Godric to work. If André, Sophie-Anne's progeny, doesn't like one of her human companions, they're gone in a snap. So think of Eric as the in-laws you have to convince. What exactly did he write?"

"Insults," Liv answered softly, feeling the hurt flare up again. "About everything it seemed, mostly my looks and…" Her curse. Those had been the insults that had hit her the hardest because they poked holes into her mental armor and revealed the gnarly faces of her own insecurities.

"But you're as cute as a button!" Hadley exclaimed, startling her out of her dark thoughts. Liv laughed - coming from Hadley, who looked a bit like a life-sized doll with her long curled lashes, rosy cheeks and the red bows in her hair, that compliment was a bit like hearing from your accountant that you were good with numbers: Nice to hear, but maybe a bit misplaced.

Hadley, meanwhile, had started a careful assessment of Liv's physical attributes, stopping them in front of the door to the west wing so that she could inspect Liv from all sides. "That dress looks great on you, but maybe the jacket is a bit much? I've never yet met a man who objected to seeing a bit more skin. And you have a great complexion."

"I get cold easily," Liv murmured, protectively tucking her hands in against her side when Hadley made to relieve her of the shielding vestment. "And I think sometimes our modern clothes are rather more revealing than older vampires would deem appropriate."

She had no evidence that this was true for Eric and in fact, she doubted that the fun-loving vampire had any moral objections to scanty clothes. Hadley was probably right that Eric didn't particularly appreciate her clothing choices or the fact that those were limited to long sleeves, long trousers, long skirts, long dresses. But then again, she didn't want to believe that Eric was that superficial either.

"Maybe if we did something with your hair," Hadley mused and this time Liv wasn't quick enough to avoid Hadley's slender fingers that slid into her hair, brushed over her temples, triggered an avalanche of deathly possibilities and pushed her into shocked paralysis.

v---v

"Liv? Liv, can you hear me? Are you alright?" Hadley was shaking her by the shoulder. "Say something, please, you're worrying me."

Liv took a deep breath, held it, released it slowly. Repeat. There had been a lot of possibilities, which, from the viewpoint of cold rationality, was a good thing as it meant that none of them were inevitable. Still, it took her a while longer to ban the images from her mind and gather herself enough that she could reassure the other girl.

"Sorry. I should have warned you that I don't like to be touched - haphephobia," Liv said, giving the medical explanation she had been diagnosed with as a child. "But I'm okay, I promise. You did something with my hair?"

"I just took two strands and pinned them at the back," Hadley explained, though she still looked a little shaken. "I'm sorry. I didn't notice at first. I just thought you'd spaced out again."

"It's fine, really. And thank you for this," Liv said, smiling at her impromptu hairdresser as she carefully felt along her new hairdo. "I'm sure it looks nice."

"Your hair is so pretty, but it was kind of swallowing your face," Hadley offered, recovering her earlier enthusiasm. "This way Eric will actually get to appreciate your beautiful eyes and your amazing cheekbones. And I'm sure Godric will like it as well."

"Thank you," Liv said again, returning Hadley's smile before she entered the code to open the door. "And thank you for your company today and your kind words. It makes me think that I should have started listening to you sooner."

Hadley laughed but shook her head. "Oh no, don't worry about it. Earlier I was just prattling on; you didn't miss anything important. Now go get him!"

As the door closed automatically behind her and Liv was alone in the long corridor with the many darkened windows, she allowed herself a few minutes to settle back into her skin, pack away the visions of Hadley's death, clear Eric's texts from the forefront of her mind and focus back on Godric and how his letter had made her feel. Happy. Deliriously happy, and that was how she wanted to greet Godric when he woke up so that she could give him her answer.

The card reader gave a soft beep and blinked green as she pulled the key card through, but the door was jerked open before she could reach for the handle.

"Yes?" Godric asked, looking at her with a painfully hopeful expression on his face and her own note clutched in his hand as if it was his ticket to happiness.

"Yes," Liv breathed out, feeling her lips stretch into a beaming smile. "Yes, yes, yes. A thousand times yes."

Godric laughed, showing pearly white fangs as he grinned at her. "Yes!"

Then he picked her up and swirled her around, lifting her up in the air and all but dancing with her through the room. Liv laughed, feeling all her fears and doubts vanish as she relaxed completely into Godric's hold, trusting him to treat her with due care even in his enthusiasm. When Godric finally settled her on the sofa, she was breathless with laughter and her face was flushed; Godric's eyes were sparkling and his smile had morphed into a slightly tamer version, his fangs retracted and his teeth once more blunt and human-looking. From the corner of her eye, she could see Eric sitting in one of the armchairs, intensely focused on his phone and tapping out lightning-fast messages. She did her best to block him out.

Godric reached behind him, timidly extending a white rose in her direction. Only when he dropped it into her palm, did she notice that it wasn't a real flower, but one made of carefully folded and cut paper. She reverently brushed her fingers over the origami petals. "It's beautiful. Thank you."

"Not as beautiful as you," Godric replied earnestly. "I hope my letter wasn't too forward?"

"Your letter was perfect," Liv answered and reached out, gently grasping Godric by the forearms as Godric's hands moved to cradle her elbows. "I never thought, I never dared to hope that you could be interested in me like that, but for my part I gave my consent the moment I offered to be yours."

"That's a vampire concept," Godric explained carefully. "It's not so much about the human, about you, than about blood and ownership and marking one's territory. Feelings, other than possessiveness, are incidental."

"And your feelings for me are not... incidental?" Liv asked softly, hopefully.

"They're anything but," Godric replied immediately. "I'm a vampire and saying you're mine satisfies that part of me, but it's not how I see you, how I want you. You're already so much more to me than simply 'mine'. I want to court you so that I may win your heart and be allowed to humbly offer you mine in return."

"Every time I think I could not be happier, you say something like this and prove me wrong," Liv murmured, squeezing Godric's arms.

Godric answered with an impish grin, she had not yet seen him wear. "In that case, I hope to prove you wrong many more times, and I look forward to making love to you and… What is it? Liv?"

Liv had jerked back, her heart fluttering in her chest though this time not in joy but in something very close to panic. Making love. As if she could! She couldn't believe how naïve she had been. Of course, courting would eventually lead to a relationship and physical intimacy. Godric might be old-fashioned and a gentleman, but he was still a man with needs and desires. She couldn't expect him to live celibate just because… She shook her head angrily at the direction of her own thoughts. Of course she could expect Godric to respect her boundaries! And if he couldn't, or wouldn't, he certainly wasn't the man she thought he was.

She levelled a glare on the brown-eyed vampire, trying to ignore the trembling of her hands. "I think you had better explain to me why you just said that because frankly I never thought you'd be so cruel."

Godric looked lost, contrite. "What did I say to offend you? I do not understand. Please tell me so that I can apologize properly. Please, Liv."

Her heart softened at the pain in his voice, but she refused to be swayed so easily. They clearly weren't on the same page. "You said you wanted to make love to me."

"Yes?" Godric confirmed hesitantly. "I still do not understand…"

"Nowadays, 'making love' is mainly used as a euphemism for sex," Eric suddenly interjected, startling Liv, who had completely forgotten that he was even in the room. "Godric meant it as a synonym for your courtship. This hysteria is really quite unnecessary."

"It's completely understandable," Godric corrected, taking a gentle hold of Liv's arms again when she gave up her defensive posture. "I didn't know that the meaning had changed and I'm so sorry that I hurt you, Liv. I only meant to say that I look forward to building a relationship with you."

"It's not your fault," Liv whispered, brushing an errant tear from her cheek. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. Please forgive me."

Gothic carefully moved to cradle her in his arms and she could feel the steady up and down of his chest as he pretended to inhale and exhale to help her calm her own breathing. "There's nothing to forgive," the vampire murmured. "I should have picked my words with more care."

"Can we both stop apologizing?" Liv suggested quietly. "And agree that it was a misunderstanding and that we didn't mean to hurt each other?"

"Of course," Godric said readily, lightly stroking her arms through the thin fabric of her clothes as she settled more firmly into his embrace. "May I just reassure you that our relationship – and I do hope that it will be romantic in nature – need not ever include sexual relations or any other form of physical intimacy?"

"It's not that I don't want to," Liv admitted in a whisper and despite Eric's earlier helpful intervention, she wished that he would allow them their privacy now. "I just can't."

She could feel Godric's light shrug, heard the smile in his voice. "For now. But I've learned the value of positive thinking from you and I know we'll figure out a way for you to control your gifts. You deserve to make all these experiences, Liv. And it's fine if you'd prefer to make some of them with someone else."

"I wouldn't. I'm not interested in anyone else," Liv assured him, surprised when Godric continued to press his point, "I really do not mind, Liv. I understand that you're more attracted to Eric and -"

"Excuse me?" Liv interrupted, turning around in Godric's embrace so that she could meet his eyes. "I'm not attracted to Eric."

Godric lightly shook his head. "There's nothing wrong with that. Eric is very handsome after all."

"I'm not denying that, but it doesn't mean I want to sleep – want to have sex with him," Liv protested, adjusting her word choice at the last moment to avoid any further misunderstandings.

"You were thinking about him in a sexual manner last night," Godric said in the same gentle, understanding voice. "After Eric made that joke about the pillows."

Liv blinked, needing a moment to make sense of that, but then blushed as the memory came back to her. "I wasn't thinking about sex! And I certainly wasn't thinking about sex with Eric!"

Eric shot to his feet and her an angry glare. "We could smell your arousal!"

"And me having a sex fantasy about you is the only possible explanation for that, is it?" Liv snapped back, no less angry, but then dismissed Eric to focus back on Godric, sliding her hands up his arms in a slow, tender caress. "I wasn't thinking of Eric. I was imagining how it would feel if you touched my arm, like that, but without a barrier of clothes. All this talk of sex and that's what I really want, just for you to touch me and for me to be able to enjoy it."

"We'll get there," Godric promised, returning her touch in an almost perfect reflection of her fantasy. "And in the meantime, I wouldn't object to you kissing me again, in my sleep."

Liv blushed. "You could feel that?"

"I could taste you when I woke up," Godric replied with a slight grin, licking his lips as if he was still chasing the essence of her kiss. "I look forward to when I can return the favor."

He was still stroking her arms, his fingers drifting in a lingering caress over the soft material of her jacket and despite the lightness of his touch she could feel it zinging through her body like tiny shocks of electricity. She could just imagine how it would feel if Godric's gentle fingers strayed from their now accustomed path, traced a line across her collarbone and then dipped lower, cupped her breasts, flicked over her pebbled nipples, and she felt a ball of heat in her belly as tingly waves made her clench the muscles in her thighs.

The wings of Godric's nose quivered as he pulled in a deep breath and Liv flushed in embarrassment. He sent her a wide grin; at the same time, the door to the corridor slammed shut and Eric was gone.

"Sorry," Liv murmured, glancing at the closed door.

Godric let loose a rich laugh, dismissing her apology with a slight shake of his head. "I had not expected that, but you can believe me that I'm very flattered. Maybe you can tell me sometime what you were thinking of."

"Maybe I can show you instead," Liv offered, striving for a confident tone and Godric beamed. "I didn't mean to upset Eric, though. Has the sun set already?"

"It's still a few minutes to sunset. Eric just went to the room next door," Godric soothed her, reluctantly drawing back and getting his feet. "I'll talk to him. He's not upset with you."

"Do you mind if I talk with him?" Liv asked as Eric's uncharacteristic behavior clicked into place in her head. "There's something I need to ask him."

Godric paused, studying her intently. "You were angry at him earlier."

"I was, but I think I understand now," Liv replied honestly. "He's very protective of you and I could never fault him for that." And maybe, she thought, as Godric sent her another considering look and then nodded almost imperceptively, the reverse was true as well and Godric was no less protective of his strong, confident and seemingly indestructible progeny. For a moment, she was torn between slight incredulity that Godric thought her even capable of posing a danger to Eric and being flattered that he did and that he no less trusted her to handle this conversation. Then she returned Godric's nod and pressed a kiss to his covered shoulder as she moved past him.

"We won't be long," she promised before slipping out of the room and securely pulling the door closed behind her.

There was no sign of Eric anywhere and she didn't know whether Godric had meant the room on the right or on the left. Deciding that there was no use for it, she turned and took a few quick steps towards the door with the number 9 on it.

"Eric?" she called, rapping her knuckles against the white painted wooden door. "Can I talk to you?"

Apparently her intuition had led her right and the door swung open, Eric like a silent sentinel as he let her pass. Liv hazarded a brief glance around the room, finding that it was done in the same style as their room, only slightly smaller and reduced to a bedroom with ensuite bathroom. In lieu of any other seating possibility, she sat down on the edge of the bed and waited for Eric to take a seat next to her.

"So that's why you sent me all those mean texts, huh?" she asked softly, pulling on the sleeves of her jacket to make them slip a little lower. "Because you thought I was attracted to you and didn't want Godric to be hurt if I picked you instead of him."

"Unfortunately, you wouldn't have been the first to think that they could use Godric for his kindness and generosity while coming to me to fulfill their sexual desires."

"I'm sorry that happened to you. You both deserve better," Liv murmured, but stopped herself short from reaching out to Eric as she wasn't sure that he would welcome it. "But I also think that Godric deserves better than for you to assume that he would need – or want – you to put yourself down just so that he could win someone who doesn't appreciate everything he has to offer."

Eric inclined his head, taking her criticism in the way it was intended. "I'm surprised you didn't add yourself to the list of people who deserve better."

"I didn't think I needed to point that out to you," Liv gave back a little archly. "Though you might want to give me a proper apology before I decide to dye your hair pink the next time you go to sleep."

"That strikes me as oddly specific," Eric replied, casting her a suspicious glance.

"You insulted my hair in four separate texts and that's not counting the ones where you criticized my appearance in general and the way I apparently look like a scarecrow with half the stuffing fallen out," Liv said by way of an explanation and Eric winced guiltily.

"That was rather uncalled for," Eric admitted, then paused long enough for Liv to wonder if anything else was forthcoming. "I apologize."

"Apology accepted. Did that hurt?" Liv asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"A little," Eric demurred with a quirked smile and then surprised her by curling an arm over her shoulders, pulling her ever so slightly against his chest. "I read Godric's letter to you and there is nothing in it that I would disagree with. You truly are a remarkable woman and I'm honored to consider you my friend." Before she could formulate a reply or find the words to thank Eric for this first real compliment, he pulled her to her feet and continued with a wild, wicked grin, "And don't worry about your intimacy issues – I'll give Godric some pointers about what sex toys you might enjoy."

"Eric!" she snapped, scandalized, as the vampire jostled her out into the corridor, his lips still stretched into the same impudent smirk.

"You're not allergic to latex, are you?" Eric continued his teasing. "I hear many humans have problems with that material…"

"That's none of your business," Liv brought out, her face only growing hotter when she saw Godric waiting for them outside their room.

"Liv wears latex gloves at work," Godric added helpfully, beaming at her when she reached his side.

"This conversation is over," Liv declared, cutting off Eric's no doubt witty reply. "I believe the queen is expecting us?"


	10. Der Hölle Rache

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _It's way past my bedtime, but I promise I will reply to your reviews tomorrow. For now: Thank you!_

**10\. Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen – Die Zauberflöte – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart**

The queen was indeed expecting them, garbed in another all-white attire and stretched out on one of the pool lounges as she pretended to sunbath. Her eyes were shielded by a pair of cat-eye sunglasses and she barely glanced at them as they entered, merely bidding them to take a seat with a negligent wave of her hand.

Liv wasn't exactly nervous as the emotional rollercoaster of the last few hours had served as a first-class distraction. Still, she was a bit relieved when the queen decided to deal with Godric's oaths and the signing of different contracts first, giving her time to gather her resolve and put her thoughts in order. Godric had asked, very seriously, if Liv wanted him to deny the queen's request to test her abilities, but she had declined – in part, because she wasn't sure the queen's order could be classified as a mere request and because she didn't want to cause problems for either of the two vampires accompanying her; and in part, because she was honestly a bit curious about this queen, who seemed superficial and self-centered at first glance but who clearly cared about her human companions and who had managed to hold her own against two older and arguably stronger vampires.

Besides, skin contact with vampires was less hazardous, or at least more bearable than coming into contact with humans, if only because she could emerge from her vision and know that whatever she had seen had not been the end, but in fact a new beginning. Mostly, the first deaths of vampires were still violent, brutal and of course bloody, but every so often she would discovered a sweeter note, a moment of rightness beneath all the horror. It had been that way when she had touched Isabel, who had been turned by a lover on her express wishes, and from what she had seen so far, Eric's human death would probably fall into that category as well.

And even if she appreciated Godric's efforts of shielding her from anything and everything that could potentially hurt her, she had dealt with this curse her whole life and had learned that, for all the care and precautions in the world, sooner or later her defenses would fail. The longest she had ever gone without a vision had been eight days (and six of those days she had spent in bed, recovering from pneumonia). As Iris would say, avoidance might work for a while, but it was a shitty life motto.

When the formalities had been taken care of, Sophie-Ann turned expectantly to her, carefully folding her sunglasses and tucking them into the collar of her blouse. "Shall we then? Or am I to hear some more excuses?"

"No, your majesty," Liv murmured and then added, "I need skin contact. Just for a moment, though. Please don't keep touching me after that."

Sophie-Anne wasted no more time in joining their hands together and Liv was sucked into the swirling abyss of her visions. Pain and fear and anger. Darkness and blood and death. Above all death.

When she could focus on the here and now again, she couldn't have said how much time had actually passed. Probably less than a minute, though it had felt like an eternity to her – an eternity filled with gruesome snapshots, inconsequential details, distorted impressions. It made her want to scream and throwing up in the pool seemed a very real possibility; she had pressed her hands over her mouth in an instinctive, long-learned response.

"Well?" the queen demanded, arching one of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows. "I don't have all night. Tell me how I died."

Liv swallowed against the nausea, trying to pin her unfocused eyes on something, anything that would center her back in the present. She found Godric's hand, lightly resting on her knee, his thumb drawing small circles against her thigh. She counted his fingers, took deep breaths.

"I saw your true death," she whispered finally, meeting the queen's impatient gaze. "Bill Compton will betray you."

"Ludicrous," the queen snapped with a dismissive hand gesture. "And very disappointing. William assured me your abilities were the real deal, but it seems you can't even tell the past, let alone spin convincing tales of the future."

"Your maker was staked before you even made it out of the ground," Liv retorted, speaking quickly and urgently. She barely avoided a collision with Eric as she jumped to her feet and started to sketch the scene out with loopy hand gestures. "You were in a wooden hut, not even half the size of this pool. There was a cross on that wall, a table underneath it with two footstools. One was missing a leg and I think I saw a rat, over in that corner. The windows had been covered with blankets, more than one for each window and fixed with nails. There was a cot over there and your maker was bound to it with silver around his wrists and ankles. You promised to free him if he brought you over – only then. You didn't trust him. Your arms were covered in bruises and there was a cut on your cheek. Your hair went down to the middle of your back and it was dark blond instead of red. He called you by another name -"

"That's enough," the queen interrupted her. "So you did see my death – my human death, that is. It does not make your lies any more credible."

"Liv isn't a liar," Godric defended her, stepping between them once again.

"Your majesty, I have never made a secret of my dislike for Bill Compton and maybe you think I'm biased -" Eric spoke up, only for the queen to cut him short, "I don't just think you're biased. I think you put her up to this."

"As I said, I may be biased, but can you truly afford to dismiss these charges if there was ever even a moment of doubt concerning Bill's loyalty?" Eric insisted. "Should you not at least listen to what Liv has to tell you?"

"Why waste that time?" the queen snapped. "It's ridiculous. I'm over twice his age. He would not dare challenge me."

"That's what you'll say," Liv agreed softly, feeling more secure with the knowledge of Godric's and Eric's support. "And you'll throw him clear across the room. But I didn't say it would be a fair fight. He'll have backup, humans in black SWAT gear and with guns loaded with wooden bullets. It'll be an execution."

She had not expected the shocking part of her statement to be the description of the human shooters, but at the mention of black SWAT gear, all three vampires straightened and exchanged looks that Liv couldn't interpret.

"I think we will need all the details you can give us, Liv," Godric said, taking a gentle hold of her elbow to still her nervous fidgeting and lead her back to her seat.

"Yes, do regale us with this fantastic tale," the queen demanded in a mocking tone that didn't quite manage to hide her unease. She crossed her long legs as she sank back onto the chaise lounge. "What will I be wearing?"

"You mean before you get shot?" Liv quipped back, but then winced at her own callousness. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. A black satin dress with a flared skirt and a feathered hat."

"You have a very active imagination, I give you that," the queen replied with a tinkling little laugh. "Me, wearing black, as if that color does anything for my complexion."

"You said you were a widow, though you didn't seem to be overly grieved by your loss," Liv offered, ignoring the queen's derisive tone. "Someone named Russell?"

"Russell? Russell Edgington?" Sophie-Anne asked incredulously. "I've turned him down countless times. Why would I suddenly decide to marry that pompous, self-congratulatory prick?"

Liv lifted her shoulders in a tiny shrug. "I don't know, and his last name was never mentioned. I can only tell you that in my vision you seemed happy about his death, excited even."

"Russell Edington is king of Mississippi. If you had in fact married him before his death you would be queen of two states. That would be quite a step up, your majesty," Eric offered.

"Only that according to your little friend here I would hardly be able to enjoy it, now would I?" the queen retorted, focusing her laser-sharp eyes back on Liv. "Tell me what you saw."

"You were inside. It was a plantation house, I think, two stories, painted white though in some serious need of repairs. Bill Compton opened the door for you and you said that you would 'side-step his recent defection, for now' as you walked inside. You turned right, into a kind of living room – it didn't look particularly lived in. The walls were painted blue and there was a floor-length mirror."

"That's enough for setting the stage. Skip to the part where William kills me," the queen ordered. "Or has me killed, I heard your correction before."

"I don't like your tone," Godric spoke up. "I would like you to be more respectful, your majesty."

Sophie-Anne sneered at him, though she obviously still remembered how ineffective her physical retaliation had been the night before and held back. "You would do well to remember your place, Godric."

"My place is besides Liv. I've vowed to protect her before I vowed to accept you as my monarch," Godric replied in the same unflappably mild tone. "She's doing you a service and I will not tolerate you insulting her for her willingness to help."

"Thank you, Godric," Liv said, reaching for his arm. "I appreciate your words, but please let me speak for myself, okay? I was not trying to bore you with these details, your majesty; I just thought they might help you to recognize the place and convince you of the truth of my words… But I will try to stick to the essentials.

"He said he had called you there under false pretenses. You expected Sookie to be there, but she wasn't. He said that only one of you would leave that house and when you referred to your age, he said that he had nothing left to lose. And he attacked. You both levitated and then clashed in mid-air. It was too fast for me to see clearly, but you overpowered him after only a few seconds. When he was lying on the floor – that's when the humans came in, six men all wearing black cargo pants, black shirts and black baseball caps. They trained their weapons on you, assault rifles, I'd guess, though I really wouldn't know. You asked after the bullets – wooden with a silver core – and then you called him a traitor and they fired on his command."

The queen studied her in silence for a few long moments and Liv would have started to fidget nervously again if Godric hadn't wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders, which allowed some of his calm to rub off on her.

"A fascinating tale and you have quite a flare for details, I give you that. But there's little in it to disprove my theory that Eric fed you some – very classified – information and you embellished it with a good dose of your own imagination." She turned to Eric. "Really, Mr. Northman, you always assured me that such a silly rivalry was beneath you and now you're not even winning. A bit pathetic, don't you think?"

"I understand why you don't want to believe me," Liv spoke up while Eric was still putting together the words for a diplomatic answer. "It's an impulse I know only too well. But before you throw your lot in with the guy you sent out to lie and trick and coerce for you, there is one last piece of information I can give you and I don't think you ever told Eric about it: I know why you want Sookie Stackhouse and I know what you think she is."

"You have a lot of courage for someone so fragile," the queen replied and her long blood-red nails clacked loudly against the smooth wood of the armrest. "So enlighten me: What do I want with Sookie Stackhouse?"

Liv hesitated, ignoring the intent curiosity on Eric's face. "I don't want to disclose information you may have had a good reason for keeping secret. Are you sure you want me to say it?"

The queen smiled at her in a way that was not at all friendly, the toothy grin of a shark. "You're stalling. And not very convincing in telling me that I can trust you to keep my secrets from your beaux."

"I was raised to believe in and support female solidarity," Liv gave back. "And this isn't my secret to share. Maybe it's not even yours."

"How touching," the queen replied, and Liv could see that she wasn't swayed in the least, that she was in fact getting dangerously close to imp2atient.

Liv looked to Godric for help, finding solace in his calm gaze and taking courage from his encouraging nod. She took a deep breath, mentally apologized to Sookie for what she was about to do and then said to the queen, "You think she's a fae, a true fae, and that she will somehow help you to walk in the sunlight again."

Liv felt the brush of displaced air before her brain received and computed the visual information that all three vampires had moved, it seemed much like the night before in response to a physical attack from the queen aimed at her person. Sophie-Anne was still snarling and spitting with fury, straining against the negligent hold Godric had of her arm.

"I asked you to be more respectful," Godric reminded the queen, then ignored her angry threats as he turned to Liv. "Is it still acceptable for a man to protect his woman?"

Liv smiled despite the tense situation. "As long as the woman is also allowed to protect her man, it's more than acceptable."

"You've been my guardian angel ever since I met you," Godric replied earnestly.

It was far from the perfect moment for such a sweet compliment so she committed it to memory and packed it away, to enjoy later when the circumstances were better. The queen was still spewing angry threats, shouting at Eric to rein in his maker and glaring daggers at Liv over Godric's shoulder. Liv winced at the palpable fury directed at her and took an involuntary step back.

But when she looked at Sophie-Anne again, her anger seemed almost superficial, a mere smokescreen for her true feelings, and Liv swallowed her own fear. "I understand that you're upset, your majesty, and I guess it's easier to be angry at me than to admit to yourself that you're scared. But hiding under the bed or running away never turns out well in horror movies and from my visions I thought you were someone who took her fate into her own hands… Judith."

There was an infinite moment of tense silence, only filled by the pounding of Liv's heart and the incongruously cheerful music playing in the background. Finally, the queen retracted her fangs. "You will never call me that again."

Liv inclined her head in agreement and Godric allowed the queen to free herself from his hold. In the next second, he was at Liv's side again, tucked his arm around her and settled them back on their seats. Liv buried herself against him, taking a few deep inhalations of his scent. Against his perfect stillness, the fine tremors that ran through her body were all the more pronounced, and Liv cursed herself for a fool for only now realizing what potentially fatal consequences her actions and words might have had and for forgetting the one cardinal rule she had set for herself a long time ago: Not to get involved. It might seem like a noble impulse to want to warn people, to try and help them, to attempt to prevent the unpreventable, but more often than not, people did not appreciate being confronted with their own mortality and those few who believed her would have preferred it if she had kept her mouth shut.

It was a lesson she had learned, with painful finality, at the age of nine when she had tried to warn their neighbor that he would suffer a heart attack and that he should call an ambulance before it was too late. Poor Mr. Bailey had spent the last few minutes of his life shouting at her for playing such a sick joke on him, for being a nosey little brat, and she had spent the next few years blaming herself for only adding to his already high blood pressure.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't going to make a habit of this," Liv murmured, against Godric's shoulder. "Telling people how they will die."

"If you hadn't broken your principles for me, I would have met the true death," Godric replied gently, still holding her securely in his arms. "I'm glad you did."

"You prevented one of these visions before?" the queen demanded anxiously. "Answer me!"

Liv winced at the sharp tone, but resisted the urge to curl in on herself, to hide away from the responsibility she had chosen to take on. "I don't think they're set in stone as long as there's more than one. But with humans there're so many possibilities and if one could be prevented another would spring forwards, and another, and another... It's different with you because I see things that have already happened, that can't be changed anymore. I didn't even know I could see your true deaths, not until the explosion at Godric's house."

"Liv saved Godric's life that night," Eric interjected and Liv was honestly impressed that he had found such an elegant way to abridge the story and gloss over Godric's attempted suicide. "So if Liv can still get a read on how your human life ended, we might have a change of preventing your true death. That is if you're willing to see the truth now."

Sophie-Anne got up and started to pace, gracefully striding down the length of the pool, swiveling on her heel and returning with the same measured steps. "You mean of course that I should accept that Bill is a traitor and that you, supposedly, will be my saving grace. Even though your maker just demonstrated how shaky he is in his loyalty to me."

"Your majesty," Liv said softly, feeling the mounting tension in her shoulders when the queen turned to face her. "Please don't punish Godric for protecting me. Would you do any less if someone threatened Hadley?"

"Hadley is a sweet girl, but she has a tendency of romanticizing," the queen dismissed her words, though Liv thought she noticed a slight softening of Sophie-Anne's delicate features. "You shouldn't believe everything she tells you."

"She loves you, but that's not what I saw when she touched me earlier," Liv answered.

"You saw her die?" Sophie-Anne asked, suddenly very close to her so that Liv could read the fear in her eyes.

"Yes," Liv agreed softly. "But I also saw you, always at her side. And I know she very much looks forward to spending her birthday with you."

A pleased smile crossed the queen's face and Liv thought of the triple-layered birthday cake she had seen in her vision, a work of art made of red velvet and white chocolate, with glittering candles on top, that would remain untouched as Hadley's heartbeat slowed with every deep mouthful of blood the queen took from her, until her heart stopped and Sophie-Anne lifted her own bleeding wrist to Hadley's lips.

"I have a surprise planned for her," the queen admitted and they exchanged a look that Liv would have called conspiratorial if they had known each other longer.

Liv smiled and gave her a tiny nod. "I'm sure she'll like it, your majesty. And I'm sorry I upset you and even more sorry that I put Godric in a position where he had to defend me."

Godric had listened to their conversation with a bemused, tolerant smile, but now pointed out gently, "Right now, you're defending me again. In fact, if I didn't hate to see you in danger I would demand that you give me a few more chances to even the score."

She loved the way the corners of his mouth quirked up and the fine crinkles that appeared around his eyes in anticipation of their shared amusement and smiled, resting her hand on Godric's chest, on his big, silent heart. "You're not giving yourself enough credit and as long as we're keeping score, I think it's only fair that you tally up all those times you stepped in to protect me, even the ones I don't know about. I think you'll find that I still owe you a lot more than you could ever owe me."

"You could never owe me anything," Godric assured her and somehow managed to ghost his lips over the crown of her hair without triggering a vision. "Though, if you felt so inclined, you're very welcome to pay your imaginary debt to me in kisses so that I may wake with the taste of you on my lips every night."

"Ugh." The queen fell into her seat, making more noise than should be possible for such a dainty person. "Are they always so sickeningly sweet?"

"I'm afraid so, your majesty," Eric said with faux-regret. "I shudder to imagine what they might get up to when they're alone."

"Jealousy does not become you, Eric," Liv replied. "I'm sure if you asked nicely, Godric would give you some pointers."

"Eric taught me everything I know about courting," Godric interjected with a confused little wrinkle between his eyebrows.

"He must have forgotten a lot then," Liv answered, smiling first at Godric and then sending a smirk over his shoulder in Eric's direction. "Or maybe he just relies too much on his good looks."

"That almost sounds like you're still a little sore about our earlier miscommunication," Eric answered, leaning a little closer and lifting a sardonic eyebrow. "Should I expect to wake up with a new hair color tomorrow, Liv?"

"I don't know. Are you planning on sending me any more mean texts?" Liv asked sweetly, giving Godric's arm a light squeeze to reassure him.

Eric, she was sure, was well aware that she was only teasing and didn't still hold a grudge - though she would admit, if only to herself, that it was easier to accept Eric's apology than to forget about his criticisms. But she didn't want Godric to misinterpret their friendly banter as the sign of something more sinister and less innocent or for him to worry about either of them.

"Eric and I are fine, I promise," Liv whispered when Godric's mien didn't lighten.

"Well, that's certainly a relief, but maybe we could focus on my problem now," Sophie-Anne called them to order and though Liv felt that the queen was looking at her a bit more kindly, the following cross-examination was nothing she would ever care to repeat. The queen, and to a lesser extent Eric and Godric, peppered her with ever more pointed questions, demanding to know every last detail and asking for clarifications on almost everything she told them. When they were finally satisfied that she had given them all the information she could possibly give them, Liv's head was hurting and her mouth was dry from all the talking.

"May I have some water, please?" Liv asked and had no sooner finished her request than she found Godric carefully offering her a full glass. "Thank you."

"Of course," Godric gently caressed her arm. "Is there anything else I can do for you? We should have stopped earlier."

Liv took a small sip of water. "I want to help, I just don't think there's anything else I can tell you. It's not… if you change one little detail, or even all the details, it won't change the outcome. The future will adjust. It might not be set in stone, but it's not a special request show either and you can't just burn all your black dresses and paint Bill's living room another color and expect that this will somehow fix the problem."

"So we need to tackle the problem at the roots and for that I need to know why Bill wants me dead and why the Authority will back him," Sophie-Anne declared, granting her a small nod in acknowledgement of her words.

"What authority?" Liv asked, surprised at the uncomfortable silence that followed. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"Considering how many of our questions you answered, you have certainly earned the right to ask some questions of your own," the queen decreed, cutting off Godric, who had started to make a similar point. "The Authority is the highest political body in our society and the men you described resemble the guards the Authority employs."

"Is this how they usually operate? Send out guards to execute someone without a trial or a formal judgement?" Liv asked, still a bit cautiously. "I thought that's why there's a magister."

"It's probable that only a section of the Authority will be involved in this," Eric mused. "With your permission, I will make some inquiries, your majesty."

"Discreetly," the queen added but inclined her head in agreement. "Though we shouldn't dismiss Bill's role in this. According to Liv's information he will betray me twice and I want to know why, how and when."

"He said, or will say, that he has nothing left to lose," Liv pointed out, getting a bit confused with the tenses. "So what does he have to lose now? What's important to him?"

"Sookie," Eric said immediately with a roll of his eyes that came perhaps a little too late. "Of course this will be about Sookie. Though, if she is truly fae it might explain at least some of his obsession."

"She is, I'm almost certain of it, though I have never told Bill as much," Sophie-Anne replied. "And even if he did find out, I doubt very much that he would realize all the implications, the potential."

"And you are convinced that these rumors, fairy tales as they were, are based on actual facts?" Godric asked skeptically before he expounded for Liv's benefit. "There has been the persistent whisper amongst vampires that drinking fairy blood makes you immune to sunlight, but in all my years I have never met anyone who could corroborate this myth, much less experienced it for myself."

"But this very persistency and the fact that these rumors originate from all parts of the globe speak to their veracity. Think of how long humans have told stories about us. Sure, they relegated our existence to the realm of fantasy and fiction, but the rumors persisted and despite our best efforts I might add," the queen answered with barely contained excitement. "They were right about us and I'm right about Sookie."

Truth be told, Liv was still trying to reconcile the image she had of Sookie with the idea of her being a tiny, pointy-eared and winged creature. But neither Godric nor Eric seemed to know how to respond to the queen's enthusiasm and since the queen had given her permission to ask questions, she felt compelled to point out the holes in Sophie-Anne's theory.

"So are there any specific conditions for this to work? Some kind of ritual, full moon, thirteen white candles, a circle of salt?" she asked carefully.

"You're thinking of witchcraft," Sophie-Anne replied not unkindly. "For us, the magic, if you want to call it that, is all in the blood. Vampire blood creates us, human blood sustains us, fairy blood… opens the world for us."

"If that's true, why doesn't it work for Bill? I'm assuming he does drink her blood," Liv asked.

"Exclusively." Sophie-Anne's voice was filled with repulsed disbelief. "All that sweet nectar wasted because Bill fancies himself in love with her and doesn't even realize the possibilities."

Liv lightly shook her head. "I'm sorry, but then I don't think there're any possibilities. Bill isn't immune to sunlight. Sookie told me that he 'burned to a crisp' – her words, not mine – when he tried to come to her rescue during the day."

"When was this? Why have I not heard of this before?" the queen demanded. "You must be mistaken."

"I'm only passing on what Sookie told me. She said that there was a serial killer in Bon Temps who targeted people who were vampire-friendly and that when he came after her, Bill came out during daylight. He collapsed with burns all over his body before he could reach her. She seemed to think it was romantic." She turned to Godric, grasping his arm a little tighter. "Which, just to be clear, it is not, nor is it even remotely helpful so don't you ever dare do that to me."

"I know," Godric replied earnestly. "That's why I asked Eric to show me how to use my portable phone to call for help. I always have it with me." He proudly pulled his cellphone from the pocket of his pants and tried to turn it on, no doubt to demonstrate his capability with the device. Only that the screen remained dark. Godric furrowed his brow, then proceeded to press all available buttons in increasingly complicated patterns as if to find some secret code. When that didn't yield any results he gave the phone a light shake and held it out to Eric. "It's broken."

"The battery is dead," Eric corrected patiently. "You need to charge the phone regularly, remember?"

"Oh," Godric said, looking crestfallen.

"You learned to use a cellphone, for me?" Liv asked, smiling gently and wishing she could kiss the sad look from his face. "Now that is romantic."

"I'm still not very adept at it, as it turns out," Godric replied apologetically. "But I promise that if you're ever in danger, I will find a way to help you, night or day."

"Without endangering yourself," Liv added sternly.

"Without unduly endangering myself," Godric bargained with a charming smile against Liv's unimpressed scowl. "Recent events aside, I'm a very cautious vampire, Liv. I promise."

"If you just stay out of trouble, this discussion can remain gratifyingly hypothetical," Eric interjected dryly, sending her a sharp look and nodding discreetly at the queen, who seemed to be deep in thought. "Your majesty?"

Sophie-Anne kept staring into the sparkling blue water of the pool, her fingers playing absently with the heavy rows of pearls around her neck. "Visions, conjecture, hearsay, all very credibly presented to be sure, but what I need are facts and for that I need Sookie Stackhouse. And if Bill won't bring her to me, someone else will have to." She turned to Eric, arching an expectant eyebrow.

"With all due respect, your majesty, but Bill has claimed Sookie," the tall vampire replied. "And as long as we don't know who at the Authority is scheming against you, it seems rather unwise to interfere with such a contract."

"Then be wise about it," the queen demanded impatiently. "I trust you can think of something more subtle than throwing her over your shoulder and kidnapping her from right under Bill's nose. Convince her with your charm."

"I don't think that's a particularly promising approach, your majesty. Bill has fed her so much of his blood that she's completely enthralled to him. There's no convincing her at this point," Eric sounded as if he was scraping together the last vestiges of his patience and was still coming up short.

"Excuse me," Liv spoke up quickly before the queen could let loose a no doubt sharp retort. "Why don't you just tell Sookie the truth, about Bill and about herself? I think she has a right to know what she is and she might feel very differently about Bill if she knew why he approached her."

"You're assuming that she will listen to us. I fear you may be underestimating Sookie's stubbornness," Eric replied though she was glad to see the tension in his body abate slightly.

"I wasn't suggesting you as the messenger, Eric," Liv replied, matter-of- fact. "Hadley loves you, your majesty. I'm sure she can be trusted to convey a positive image of you to her cousin and even if Sookie won't trust you fully, she'll be curious about what you can tell her about herself."

"You sound sure about that," the queen observed and Liv nodded. She purposefully didn't add her thoughts on how sending Hadley would have been the better option from the very beginning.

"I know how it feels to have questions," Liv said softly. "If there was someone who promised me answers, I'd want to meet them."

"Fine," the queen agreed, giving the impression that she couldn't be bothered to invest any more of her time for such inconsequential details. "Hadley will talk to her cousin and Eric will keep Bill under tight surveillance. I want to know everything there is to his sad little existence. What he does, whom he meets, whom he eats."

"Of course, your majesty," Eric confirmed. "It's wise to gather more information before we commit to our next steps."

"Your flattery comes rather late, Mr. Northman," Sophie-Anne pointed out. "But I will take it. For now. See that such insolence does not happen again." She turned away from him before he could answer, instead focusing on Liv once more with keen, piercing eyes. "You have my respect and gratitude for your help tonight. You may ask me your question."


	11. I. Departure

**11\. I. Departure – Black Angels – George Crumb**

Liv's heart took a diving jump in her chest before resuming a frantic pace, so loud and near panicked that Godric made a sound of protest and tightened his arm around her. But Liv was hardly able to appreciate his show of support as hope and dread warred in her mind - that she might finally have answers, that the answers wouldn't be good.

Still, she also knew that she would never forgive herself if she didn't take this opportunity out of fear or weakness, if she shied away now that the secret of her identity could very well be within her grasp. "Do you know what I am? Why I am like this?"

"I do," the queen affirmed easily, brushing a curl of her bright red hair over her shoulder. "Would you like me to dismiss these two? For the sake of female solidarity, as you called it?"

"Thank you, but I trust Godric and Godric trusts Eric," Liv declined, nervously licking her lips. "Please, if you have an answer for me, just tell me."

"It's quite obvious, now, isn't it?" the queen answered, looking expectantly from face to face and then rolled her expressive eyes at their blank stares. "You're a banshee, of course. It's a term coined by Irish mythology which translates to 'fairy woman' or 'woman from the fairy mound' though to compare a banshee with a common fairy is about as accurate as equating shifters and werewolves."

Liv tried to form words, to come up with an answer, but it felt as if the queen had pushed her mental reset button and her system was still rebooting, trying to compute this new information and configure the new updates. Right now, she was stuck at five percent and the instinctive denial that she wasn't Irish.

"I thought banshees were spirits," she finally managed to come up with an at least semi-relevant reply. "I'm not a spirit. Am I?"

"Not in the classical sense, of course, though in a way we're all spirits," the queen answered before dismissing her objection. "Humans aren't the most keen of observers so you have to account for some creative embellishments and gross inaccuracies in their accounts. You should not get too focused on the details."

"But if the details don't match, how can you be sure?" Liv asked softly.

"I wasn't - not until I saw you covering your mouth with your hands earlier." The queen studied her closely. "Do you know why you did that or would you like me to tell you?"

"I… it's just a reflex," Liv murmured, feeling defensive though Sophie-Anne had spoken with surprising, if slightly patronizing patience. "Sometimes these visions are so horrible that I scream. It used to happen a lot when I was younger and it frightens people, so I started covering my mouth."

"Indeed. And there you have your explanation for why banshees are sometimes referred to as 'wailing women'," Sophie-Anne said as her bare leg bobbed up and down in a relaxed rhythm that didn't suit the turmoil in Liv's mind. "One of the few consistencies in these alleged eye-witness reports is that banshees herald death with a scream so piercing that it can shatter glass. So you, my dear girl with the death visions and the urge to scream, are definitely a banshee."

Liv was quiet for a long time, barely noticing the way Godric gently ran his hand up and down her back. Finally, she managed to gather her resolve once more. "Is there some way to control my visions?"

"You have to trust in the power of your own mind – it is the only thing that is epistemologically proven to exist, after all," the queen answered airily, but deigned to reify her argument when she noticed Liv's look of confusion. "Think about the maenad that was causing trouble in Eric's area: She could be vanquished because for a moment she thought herself mortal. Now apply that to your visions and free yourself of the expectation that they must occur."

"Auto-suggestion has never worked for me," Liv replied, her shoulders slumping slightly in disappointment. "And in my experience, everyone dies. Whether you believe in it or not."

"I can see how you came to that conviction," the queen allowed graciously. "And yet, by your own admission, you don't always see a vampire's true death, which would suggest that at that point in time, death is non-existent. What if you trusted in that moment of immortality instead of straining for something else? These visions are not something that happens to you; they're the expression of an ability that you can learn to master."

Liv wanted to bristle, in a knee-jerk reaction, at the implication that she was somehow choosing this, straining for a vision when the opposite was true. But then she reminded herself that she had asked the queen for her opinion and that she shouldn't have bothered to do so if she wasn't at least going to take it into consideration. Still, a part of her had wished for a simple solution – some type of medicine to dampen the effects of her curse. A cure, an off-switch. Convincing herself that death was not a given – teaching herself to trust in immortality, despite her better knowledge – seemed a lot more improbable.

"I'll have to think about it, but thank you."

"You're welcome. And of course these were merely some logical inferences. So far banshees haven't been a field of interest of mine though there're certain communalities to fairies that I wouldn't mind exploring now that I've made your acquaintance. Your blood, for one, smells very appealing. You wouldn't object to giving me a little taste, sometime, would you? Maybe after a good horror movie to get your adrenaline pumping?"

Next to her, Godric went absolutely, impossibly still and Liv didn't have to see the queen's predatory smile to realize that she needed to thread carefully with her answer. "I'm Godric's, your majesty, so that is something you should discuss with him."

"I thought you were a modern woman," Sophie-Anne gave back slyly. "Surely you don't need a man's permission to decide what to do with your own bodily fluids."

"I would agree with that except that I think allowing you to drink my blood has a very different connotation than if I donate blood at a blood drive," Liv replied softly, nudging her leg against Godric's and breathing a sigh of relief when he gave her an encouraging nod. "So my decision is to defer to Godric's good judgement in this. I am his and my blood is his."

It would have been an exaggeration to say that Godric's posture relaxed after her proclamation, but Liv was by now used to the economy of his movements, the supernatural stillness that was his default, and simply relished in the way his fingers trailed over her shoulder once and then slipped lower until his hand was comfortably resting around her waist, offering support without impeding her freedom.

"Liv will not share her blood with you, your majesty," Godric said with calm finality and much to her relief, though the queen seemed less than impressed.

"Of course you would cling to this outdated concept of monogamy. But fine, keep your banshee – her blood wouldn't have the same effect as true fairy blood, anyhow."

"Will it have any effect?" Eric spoke up with a quick worried glance at his maker.

Liv couldn't suppress a shudder as she remembered the only vampire who had ever tasted her blood, Stan frantically pawing at her clothes, almost tearing her carotid when he punched his fangs into her neck, the crazed look in his eyes. What if her blood caused that? What if it made Godric act like that as well?

"I doubt it." The queen shrugged negligently. "Fairies are our polar opposites, light to our dark, daylight to night. But you're a creature of death, just as we are, your blood will no doubt be very tasty, but essentially compatible."

Liv wanted to be relieved, but being classified as a creature of death only added another dimension to the revelation of her being a banshee that she wasn't ready for. She didn't feel ready to accept any of this, to take it as an axiomatic truth when the queen had merely cited a few fragments of an Irish folktale, dismissed half of it as flights of the imagination, and then made inferences of her own, logical or otherwise. It all seemed like an educated guess at best, nothing tangible, nothing she could hang her hat on.

The loud clacking of Sophie-Anne's heels and the uneasy counterpoint it created to the soft chamber music playing in the background interrupted her thoughts. When she looked up, she found that the queen had walked over an elegant magazine holder next to one of the window seats and picked up a leather-bound notebook, two books and a scroll. They all looked like valuable antiques, but she handed them to Liv without any reluctance. "These might be of use to you, some of my more reliable records on banshees. The journal in particular might hold some of the answers you're looking for - if you get past all the boring drivel. It was written by a vampire who kept a banshee as a pet."

Liv had to swallow past the sudden lump in her throat, tracing the unfamiliar lettering on the notebook with trembling fingers. "Thank you, your majesty, I'm truly grateful for this."

"Consider it a thank you for your service today and in future. The journal is drafted in Irish Gaelic, in case you were wondering. But that's enough of that. Shall we play Yahtzee?"

Godric carefully squeezed Liv's waist to get her attention while Eric tried to make their excuses to the queen and focus her once more on her possibly impending death and what they might do to prevent it. "I'll be happy to help with the translation and with anything else you need, Liv."

"Thank you." Liv smiled, forgetting her mental and physical exhaustion for a moment. "I don't know if I can ever learn to control these visions, but if I do, I'm going to kiss you for every time you made me believe that I could. And then I'll kiss you a few hundred times more, just because you're amazing."

"I'm fine with that plan," Godric replied with an answering smile, handing the books over to Eric as they all rose to their feet. "And I look forward to when we can make it a reality… Your majesty, maybe you could show me how to play dice some other time. For now, I think we all have other things on our minds."

"I can see that," Sophie-Anne agreed with an over-the-top eye roll, slipping out of her sandals and dipping her pedicured toes into the crystal water. "I shall be expecting regular updates, Sheriff Northman."

"Yes, your majesty." Eric inclined his head respectfully. "With your leave, we will depart for Shreveport tomorrow evening and I shall instruct Pam to start the surveillance on Bill Compton right away."

"Yes, yes, spare me the details." Sophie-Anne waved him off impatiently. "Liv, it was... memorable meeting you. You've been very helpful."

"Likewise, your majesty," Liv agreed softly, resisting the arbitrary urge to curtsy when the queen suddenly appeared directly in front of her. "Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me."

"Perhaps there is one last piece of advice I can give you," the queen mused, studying her as if she had just discovered a new dimension to an abstract painting. "Practice your scream."

The queen's hands closed around her wrists before she had even fully registered her words. The vision crashed down over her, the familiar images pushing against the fragile barriers of her mind until she thought her head might explode, until she didn't know anymore where her reality ended and the queen's past and future began. The scream tore from her throat, a high-pitched, piercing wail, like a living thing with teeth and claws. Then: water, weights pulling her down, silence. Everything descending into stillness as water pressed against her from all sides, flooding her mouth, stinging her eyes, sliding uselessly against her floundering limbs.

An eternity, a blink of an eye later, she was propelled back up, her head breaking the surface so that she could spit out the water in her mouth, draw in a first sputtering breath, gasp in a second as she was towed to the edge of the pool and pulled out by strong hands on her biceps.

She coughed out some more water, her trembling hands skidding over the slick tiles as she tried to find something to hold on to, tried to center herself again, even as the afterimages of the vision wrecked her mind and her own short fight for survival wrecked her body. A light weight was draped over her back and when she jerked her head up, she saw Eric placing a second towel over Godric's shoulder. The older vampire was kneeling only a hand's width away from her, looking young and worried and sopping wet.

Godric roughly shook of Eric's hand and pulled the fluffy white towel from his shoulders, using it to create a cocoon in which to enfold Liv's shaking body as he swung her up into his arms.

"You're bleeding," she noted muzzily, her voice echoing strangely in her head, her words muffled like cotton balls and yet insistent like a stadium speaker. There was a thin rivulet of blood running from his right ear, bright and jarring against the pallor of his skin, drawing a watery pink line down his neck, directly in front of her eyes.

"It's already healed," Godric explained, gently adjusting his hold on her as she used a corner of one of the towels to clean his cheek and neck. "I'm sorry you were hurt, Liv. It's unacceptable and I will not tolerate such errancy in future. I will not allow anyone to risk your life - least of all on a whim or to prove some far-fetched theory."

His voice was darker than usual, no longer mild and thoughtful, but a growl of barely controlled menace. The glare he directed at the queen left no doubt who was the target of his anger and when Liv turned her head she could see that both Sophie-Anne and Eric were keeping a respectful distance and that the queen's cheeks were smeared with blood as well; her clothes looked rumpled.

"I might have underestimated the force of her scream," Sophie-Anne admitted grudgingly, delicately dabbing at her ear with a small hand towel. "Though why you would be upset that she has the power to throw me across the room with her voice is beyond my understanding. If anything you should be apologizing to me!"

"Wait, did I do this? Am I the reason you're bleeding?" Liv demanded, glad for Godric's secure hold, though the thought that she had caused him pain, if only fleetingly, made her turn angrily on the queen. "Why did you do that? I already gave you everything I could!"

"Do calm yourself, both of you," the queen commended, adopting a more conciliatory tone at Godric's glare. "If you will remember, you asked for my help. I was only complying with your wishes. Well, there's a last time for everything. Do you know how difficult blood is to wash out of silk?"

"I did not ask you to push me into another vision! I did not ask you to make me hurt Godric!" Liv pressed out between gritted teeth before turning to her savior. "Can we go please?"

"Of course," Godric agreed immediately, adjusting the arm he had slung under her knees to pull her a little tighter against his body. "We're done here."

"What did you see?" the queen called after them and Liv looked once more over Godric's shoulder. "It hasn't changed; you still die. And I'm sorry, but I think that's what you should be worried about. Goodnight, your majesty."


	12. Lacrimosa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _You may have noticed that I edited out the brackets in the story title. I've been kind of dithering over this step because I didn't want to create any undue confusion - but in the end, I really didn't care for them so they had to go..._   
>  _Anyway, I hope you're ready for this next chapter because here we go. Enjoy!_

**12\. Lacrimosa – Requiem in D minor - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart**

"You can let me down now," Liv said, half-mumbling the words against Godric's shoulder. Her brief flash of fury had already cooled, and instead she was suffused with a bone-deep sense of relief that Godric had protected her, saved her. But her dress was soaked, her hair hung in a heavy, wet curtain against her back and Godric's chest offered protection but very little warmth. In short, she felt more like a half-drowned cat than any kind of magical creature and she needed to move if she wanted to get warm.

"You only have one shoe," Godric pointed out. "You lost the other one in the water."

"Oh." Liv wiggled the toes of both feet, finding that she only encountered the wet sole and straps of her sandals on one side. "I'm a bit cold. Do you think you could take me inside, to our rooms?"

Godric didn't give a verbal reply, but gathered her a little closer and shielded her protectively as the world around them became a blur. Only a few moments later they were in the ensuite bathroom of their rooms and Godric carefully set her down, adjusting the towel across her shoulders. Liv smiled, though it felt a little tremulous, a little weak, a little foreign, and then turned to the washbasin to wring out her hair, pushing the water out of her dark curls.

"You're shaking," Godric said gently, and when she looked down at her hands they were indeed trembling.

"I'm still a bit cold," Liv admitted, startling when Godric caught her in another fresh towel and wrapped her in his arms.

"You're in shock," he corrected her, the words a quiet, soothing murmur against her frayed nerves and she pulled in a shuddering breath, pulled herself against his strong, hard chest. "You're okay. You're safe."

"I'm a banshee," Liv gave back, swallowing against her tears, the hysterical laughter that bubbled in her chest. "And I don't even know what that means. I was hoping that knowing who I am would make everything make sense but instead I only have more questions."

"You know who you are," Godric replied gently, rubbing his hands in circles over her back and arms. "You're the same woman you were this morning: strong and brave, kind and compassionate, beautiful inside and out. Nothing could ever change that. What the queen gave you – it's just a label and I understand labels are bad?"

His voice rose slightly at the end, making it a question and prompting Liv to peer curiously up at him. "They are when they're applied to people. Where did you get that?"

"There was a very helpful article on this in one of the magazines at your house," Godric answered readily when any other man might have been embarrassed at referring to a woman's magazine, much less admitting that he had found it helpful. She was unaccountably charmed. "There was also a quiz to find out which cocktail best suited my personality, but that seemed a little far-fetched."

Liv's lips quirked into a small but honest smile. "Thank you," she then added belatedly. "For what you just said and for pulling me out of the pool."

"I'm sorry I wasn't faster," Godric said unhappily. "I said I would protect you and I –"

"And you did exactly that," Liv interrupted him, ducking her head to meet Godric's lowered gaze. "What did you just tell me? I'm okay. I'm safe. Thanks to you. And I'm not letting you go to bed before I have convinced you to believe that."

A small smile flitted over Godric's tense face. "I guess I have no choice then."

"No, you really don't," Liv replied with a smile of her own, using one of her many towels to pat at the pearls of water on Godric's neck, the hollow of his throat. "I'm afraid I'm just as stubborn as I was this morning…"

"Liv?" Godric asked questioningly and Liv jerked herself away from admiring the full effects of how his wet shirt clung to his chest, accentuating his well-defined physique and the lean muscles of his abdomen, revealing his dark pebbled nipples and the tattoos on his neck and upper arms.

"Sorry," Liv mumbled, feeling unexpectedly warm and knowing that she was blushing.

Godric shrugged, her hands sliding a little lower as his shoulders settled again. "I don't mind your regard. Though I'm not much to look at."

Liv snapped her head up and narrowed her eyes in determination, tugging and prodding at Godric until he allowed himself to be maneuvered in front of the large lighted mirror that spanned almost the entire wall above the two washbasins. She stood behind him, lifting onto her tip-toes to peer over his shoulder.

"Do you know what I see? You're gorgeous – no, don't do that, I mean it. Your shoulders are perfect. They're strong and straight and I always feel safe when I lean against them. I love your tattoos – they make you look fierce and wild and a little dangerous. I hope someday you'll tell me what they mean." She pressed a kiss to his left arm, over the zig-zagging black waves that wrapped around his biceps, before she continued her show-and-tell, trailing her fingers over his sternum, tracing the edge of his pectorals and then following the dips of his abdominals down to his navel. "You have muscles in all the right places and I want to trace them with my fingers, with my tongue. Kiss you all over." His skin felt cool and smooth underneath the thin material of his wet shirt, all the more appealing for the way his shirt clung to his muscles in some places, hid others. "You're everything to look at."

Godric gave her a flattered, bemused little smile before turning in the breakable frame of her arms. "Two thousand years and I can still be surprised, see myself through new eyes."

"You just did the same for me," Liv reminded him, sighing quietly as she remembered everything that had happened that night.

"It's okay to be overwhelmed," Godric assured her as his hands settled on her waist, light as a breeze.

"Do you think it's true?" Liv asked hesitantly. "That I'm a banshee like the queen claimed?"

Godric swayed his head thoughtfully. "Sophie-Anne has devoted much of her existence to the furthering of her knowledge and I don't believe she would lie about this – I don't see what she could gain by doing so. And I have heard of banshees before. Some people claim that Brian Boru's death was foretold by one."

Liv's expression must have been suitably confused so that Godric felt compelled to elaborate on his last point. "Brian Boru was High King of Ireland some thousand years ago. He died in the Battle of Clontarf between his forces and the Vikings of the Kingdom of Dublin. Eric was… The Norse men lost and Brian was hailed a national hero."

Liv was silent for a moment staring down at the growing puddle around their feet before she tried to put her confused feelings into words. "I've carried that question with me my whole life and now that I have an answer… I just feel… lost, disappointed even."

"I know," Godric agreed gently, his eyes full of warmth and understanding as he adjusted the towel around her shoulders. "But this is just our starting point and we will find answers to all the other questions that still plague you. But perhaps that can wait until you've had a chance to dry off."

Liv gave a watery laugh, plucking at one of Godric's shirt sleeves. "You're just as wet as I am. I'll have to thank Eric for teaching you how to swim."

She wasn't quite surprised when a storm cloud passed over Godric's face. "What happened, Godric? Why are you angry at Eric?"

"He blocked my path to you. He's the reason why Sophie-Anne even managed to touch you. If it hadn't been for him, you wouldn't have fallen into the water," Godric said accusingly, his voice slightly raised as if directing his words to someone in the room next door – Eric, of course.

"Why would he do that?" Liv asked carefully, disconcerted by the almost palpable fury in Godric's voice when he answered, "Because he didn't think to question Sophie-Anne's orders or the consequences of his actions. He didn't think and he risked your life."

"I don't think you're being entirely fair to him if you're demanding that he choose between his loyalty to you and his loyalty to his queen," Liv said, pressing her point when Godric just shrugged dismissively. "Especially when you just swore to obey her and to obey Eric as your sheriff. I hope you realize what a tough position you're putting him in."

"You could have died," Godric insisted stubbornly before adding in a more pleading tone, "I could have lost you."

"You haven't, though, and I'm fine. I promise. So go and talk with Eric, apologize to him or let him apologize to you, but don't let this ruin what you two have," Liv urged him, lightly pushing Godric towards the door. "Please."

She reached around Godric for the door handle, barely making contact before Eric opened the door from the other side, holding out Liv's neatly folded pajamas as if in supplication. "I ordered some hot tea for you. I thought you might still be cold."

Liv smiled at the tall vampire and accepted her clothes. "Thanks, that sounds nice. I'll just get changed and take a quick shower first. And maybe you two you should have a bite to eat as well?"

Her words fell on deaf ears, though, as Eric and Godric seemed to be having a silent conversation of their own, exchanging loaded looks or maybe arguing over that mysterious bond they shared. Liv didn't know and she didn't need to know as long as they were communicating with each other. She couldn't bear the thought that she might be the cause for creating a rift between them, for destroying centuries of friendship – though "friendship" seemed a pale descriptor for what Eric and Godric shared, for the myriad ties that bound them, like in an intricate tapestry that might unravel if the wrong string was cut. Godric probably didn't realize how often he talked about Eric, how almost every one of his anecdotes featured Eric as a protagonist, how they orbited each other as if caught in the other's gravitational field.

She pulled another towel from the rack and tucked it over Godric's shoulders, startling when both vampires suddenly focused on her.

"Liv, I hope you know that I never intended for you to come to any harm," Eric told her. "The queen thinks that you need to learn to control your scream in order to be able to focus your visions. She also thought that if you knew in advance about her plan, you would try to curb your scream again and might never realize its full potential."

Her hands curled into fists and she pressed her teeth together until it hurt. She didn't want to snap at Eric or to feed the flames of Godric's anger, but it was oh-so-very-tempting to just let loose another scream and hopefully startle some sense into the Viking. Maybe it was indifference, more likely ignorance of what these visions did to her, how they turned her stomach, how they scraped against her psyche, gave her nightmares; how they affected her whole existence, made every day a tightrope walk between how she wanted to live her life and what was actually possible.

"I'm going to take a shower," she said instead, turning on her heel and closing the door between them. The lock engaged with a satisfying click and she breathed out slowly, unclenched her hands, spread her shaking fingers. Breathed in. Breathed out. Stared herself down in the mirror, reminded herself of who she had been this morning: Not a banshee, just a young woman with an unusual ability to foresee death. A daughter, a nurse, Godric's. She didn't want to be someone who lashed out at others just because she was confused and hurt and selfishly wished everyone would be as considerate of her feelings as Godric. And she knew that getting stuck in a downward spiral of self-pity and negativity was not something she could afford. Not now. Not ever.

When she had calmed herself, she peeled off her wet clothes, hanging them to dry on the heated towel rack, and hopped under the shower. She turned the water on as hot as she could bear and washed the chlorine from her body and hair, rinsed her anger down the drain. But she still felt cold afterwards and made sure to blow-dry her hair so she wouldn't get sick on top of everything else. She then slipped on the pajamas Eric had brought her, the memory of his kind gesture leaving her a bit more well-disposed towards him. Perhaps it hadn't quite been an apology, but it had been a thoughtful offering nonetheless, an attempt to make her feel better. She'd do her best to return the favor and not to overreact again just because her nerves were raw and she was tired and exhausted.

The sight she was presented with when she entered the bedroom made her stop short in surprise and gave her the awkward feeling that she had walked in on a private moment between the two vampires. They were both on the bed, both with their eyes closed and immobile, frozen as in a picture. Like a snapshot from Disney's _The Jungle Book_ , Baloo and Mowgli drifting on the water. Eric was laid out on the bed, almost in the center, long arms spread to either side, his bare toes pointing outwards, Godric on top of him, chest to chest, hands resting on Eric's biceps, lightly it seemed, tenderly, possessively. It looked intimate, a notion that was only reinforced by the fact that Godric had stripped down to his underwear and was naked except for a pair of snug-fitting black briefs that made his butt look unfairly squeezable.

She stood there for a moment before she decided to leave these two to their privacy and make her night quarters in the anteroom so as not to disturb them. She shifted her weight and Eric's eyes snapped onto her, freezing her movements once more. Then Eric turned his wrist ever so slightly, motioning her with a crook of his long fingers.

Liv hesitated briefly, but then padded closer to the bed, not quite sure what Eric expected from her. Eric reached across Godric's back and carefully picked up the smaller vampire's hand, moving it from his biceps to his chest. Making room for her. Godric didn't shift, not even when she carefully lay down next to them, using Eric's offered arm as her pillow.

"Is he okay?" she asked in a whisper, tucking her bare hands against her body to resist the temptation of reaching out.

"He was worried about you," Eric replied, his voice pitched low as well. "He's resting now."

Liv gave a soft sigh before she admitted, "This night has been a lot to take and I've been kind of all over the place."

"You were more upset about what I said than about what I did," Eric noted, leaving the statement hanging long enough to make it a question.

"I'm not angry at you for following orders," Liv replied, closing her eyes for a moment.

"But you are angry," Eric surmised and when she opened her eyes again he was studying her intently.

"She might as well have punched me in the gut. The results would have been just as painful and just as predictable," Liv replied forcefully before she took a deep breath to calm herself. "She wanted to know if my vision of her death had changed, plain and simple. And I can understand that; I can even respect that. But what I don't appreciate is that both of you tried to sell it to me as trying to do me a favor."

Eric was silent for a long while before he answered, "Perhaps I accepted her reasoning a little too readily. But you seemed fine after your first vision. And you volunteered for that."

"I probably wouldn't have if I had known beforehand what I would see," Liv admitted quietly. "But at least I was prepared for her to touch me then, even if it was worse than I expected."

"I don't think I understand what these visions mean for you," Eric admitted. "Godric suggested that they impaired your life significantly and yet I saw you touch him and hold a conversation at the same time."

"You also saw me throw up afterwards," Liv reminded him, then sighed. "There are… degrees, I guess, gradations from merely unpleasant to bad to unbearable. It's… easier if there is only one layer of information; I can almost fade it down, especially if it's information I already know or a vision of something that has already happened. But most of the time, it's not one vision. It's an endless string of possibilities, all crashing down on me, and I know I'm usually not gone for very long, but sometimes it feels like hours where everything around me is death and I can't escape… I'm probably not explaining this very well."

Eric was quiet for a moment before he offered, "After Godric made me, I loved that I could see better, hear better, smell better, but the first time he took me to a human settlement – this little seaport, not even worth raiding – it suddenly became all too much, everything pressing in on me, all these sights and noises and smells… I wouldn't want to experience something like that again."

"But you learned to control your senses," Liv said, making it half a question and feeling the shrug of Eric's answer before he gave a verbal reply, "It might have been years or only months, but after a while everything that had overwhelmed me at first became normal. That's not very helpful for you, though."

"No, it's not," Liv answered with a humorless little laugh, burying in a little closer to Eric's body and wishing it were as easy as getting used to her visions, as accepting them as normal and moving on with her life. She pulled in another deep breath; Eric smelled like the sea, salty and a little stormy.

Eric's hand gently brushed over her shoulder before he asked carefully, "Then was it so wrong of me to assume that you might want to learn something more about your abilities? Another method of controlling these visions?"

Liv lightly shook her head. "I only learned that I can make your ears bleed – how is that supposed to be helpful?"

"Well, for one it's seems a very effective defense. There's not much that can even faze us anymore, much less cause actual damage," Eric pointed out. "You threw the queen clean across the pool house with nothing but your voice."

Liv curled her arms tighter around her body. "But I wasn't trying to defend myself, much less hurt either one of you. And what do you think my scream would do to a human? To my aunts?"

Eric sighed, and she felt his arm go around her back, pulling her a little closer. "I hadn't considered it from that perspective. My apologies, Liv."

Liv blew out a breath, feeling some of the tension in her body dissipate at Eric's words. "Thank you. And I'm sorry if I caused problems for you with the queen. Did I really push her back with my scream?"

She craned her neck to peer at Eric again, finding a subtle smirk stealing its way onto his lips. "That you did. You propelled her off her feet. There might even be a dent in the wall where she hit her head. And two of the windows cracked."

"She can't be happy about that. Or about what I told her. Do you think I should have kept my mouth shut about what I saw?" Liv asked hesitantly.

Eric took a while to answer, his fingers drawing absent-minded half-moons on her back. "I can't speak for the queen, but for my part, I'm glad you did. I never trusted Bill Compton, but I had no proof to bring to Sophie-Anne. You gave us that proof, as well as a means to thwart his plans."

"She might still die and anything you try to prevent her death might just be tilting at windmills," Liv cautioned softly.

Eric hesitated briefly, then hazarded, "I'm not familiar with that idiom. A reference to Cervantes' _Don Quixote_ , I believe?"

"Yes, it means fighting a battle you can't win or against something that can't be changed," Liv explained.

"Or against an imaginary enemy?" Eric asked.

"It can mean that as well," Liv allowed, but then did her best to clarify the point she had been trying to make, "I don't doubt what I saw. I just don't know if you can prevent it from happening. I never managed to before."

"Except with Godric," Eric objected.

"That was different, though. His windmills are inside his own mind; we only had to show him how to move past them," Liv argued softly, reaching out a hesitant hand but pulling back before she could touch Godric's bare back. "And I'm still worried about him. Have you eaten?"

"Godric said he wasn't hungry, and yes, I believed him," Eric preempted her objection and she snapped her mouth shut again. "We don't require as much blood as younger vampires. The last couple of days he's been feeding to appease you and I to keep him company. And of course, the queen would have felt spurned if we had refused her generous offer of one of her favorite humans."

"Oh," Liv mumbled. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to nag at you."

Eric's shoulder lifted in a half-shrug, jostling her slightly. "You're a caretaker, by your chosen profession and by your nature. I don't think there's such a thing as 'too much blood' for us and your concern did much to make him feel better."

"Then… is this normal?" Liv inquired carefully, hoping that Eric might continue to be so forthcoming with his answers.

"He's dreaming. We don't dream during our day rest so sometimes it can be very… relaxing and nice to do it during the night," Eric explained and then made the contact she couldn't, placing his free hand between Godric's shoulder blades, over the elaborate tattoo that adorned the skin along his spine. A second later, Godric came to life, turning his head in her direction and blinking his eyes open.

A smile spread over his face. "Hi."

"Hi," Liv replied softly.

"Are you feeling better after your shower? I didn't like that you were so upset by Eric's words," Godric asked, tenderly brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

"I'm okay and Eric even apologized," Liv reassured him, enjoying the comforting weight of the taller vampire's arm around her while at the same time wishing it were Godric holding her instead.

Godric shifted slightly to meet Eric's gaze. "I told you that Liv wanted an apology, not an explanation."

"I never claimed to be an expert on your human, Godric," Eric gave back calmly.

"Not quite so human after all," Liv answered with a sigh, but then pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind. "Though still human enough that I need to get some sleep. Is this okay or do you want me to move?"

"It's fine. It's not as though you're very heavy," Eric replied, making no move to extract himself from beneath either of them, though Liv couldn't quite decide if he was truly comfortable in this position or if he had resolved to pretend to be, for Godric's sake or for his own.

"We used to sleep like this when Eric was a young vampire. I wanted to be sure he wouldn't get up to some mischief while I was still asleep," Godric explained, his voice tinged with a kind of wistfulness.

"You always worried too much," Eric replied and they exchanged another one of those speaking looks. "It's a character trait you two share, it seems."

"Caring is not a weakness, neither is showing that you do," Godric admonished him lightly before he blurred into movement.

In the next moment he had gathered the covers from the other side of the bed and delicately spread them over Liv, carefully smoothing them around her body like a pottery maker molding clay. "Are you comfortable?"

Liv hummed, slipping a little lower so that her head was pillowed on Eric's chest rather than on his arm. "As much as I appreciate the sight of you only in your underwear, I don't like that I can't touch you anywhere. I think I'd be even more comfortable with you by my side."

"There is one place you could touch me," Godric commented with a hopeful little lilt in his voice and an endearing, quirked smile.

"Godric! Not in front of the children!" Liv replied in a mock-scandalized tone, garnering an amused snort from Eric but only a confused look from Godric. "Sorry, I meant, not in front of Eric."

"I wouldn't mind," Eric offered graciously. "Nothing I haven't seen… or done before."

"But **I** haven't," Liv insisted, trying not to feel defensive about her lack of experience.

Godric leaned over her and breathed a barely-there kiss into the crown of her hair. "I never want you to feel pressured into doing anything for which you're not ready. But I'm afraid my clothes are still wet, so…" He slipped into bed behind her, tucking in close to her and wrapping her in his arms while keeping the covers as a shield between them. "How's this?"

"Perfect," Liv declared contentedly. "Good night, Godric. Good night, Eric."

The two vampires echoed the sentiment in perfect unison and for the first time since she had fallen into the water, or perhaps since the queen had revealed what she knew, or perhaps even since she had foreseen the queen's death, Liv felt warmth seep back into her body. A purely psychological effect as neither of the vampires generated any body heat. Still, she thought, it was nice being snuggled between these two, letting their soft, foreign conversation wash over her, knowing that she was safe and that whatever the future might bring she would not have to face it alone. She closed her eyes and allowed herself a few minutes to pack everything away into neat little mental boxes: one for her visions, one for the newfound knowledge of who or what she was, one for her impressions of the vampire queen, one for her growing feelings for Godric and one for her more conflicted sentiments towards Eric. Then she firmly told herself to go to sleep.


	13. Entfliehet, verschwindet, entweichet, ihr Sorgen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _A word of warning : I tried to use Swedish for when Godric and Eric are speaking with each other since that is the language they chose on the show to represent Old Norse. But "try" is very much the operative term here. I do not speak Swedish and I can only hope that I did not mangle the language too badly. If anyone out there speaks Swedish, I offer you my sincerest apologies and please feel free to tell me how to fix my mistakes. And I hope you still enjoy the chapter!_
> 
>  
> 
> _Update September 08, 2019 : A big shout-out to katnor who offered some suggestions on how to improve the Swedish dialogue. Thank you!_

**13\. Entfliehet, verschwindet, entweichet, ihr Sorgen (Schäferkantate) – BMV 249a – Johann Sebastian Bach**

It was probably a quarter past eight when she gave up on sleep after she had startled awake from another nightmare with another scream, thankfully one that wasn't on the level to shatter glass or eardrums or wake her two companions. Godric and Eric were still dead to the world. Godric had her wrapped in his arms, almost in exactly the same position as when they had gone to bed, but Eric had turned on his side and thrown his long arm over both of them. She had to wriggle and sidle to get out from between them, then scrambled gracelessly over Godric to turn on the lights.

In the thorough lighting of the room… she felt just as awful as in the dark. Her dreams had been haunted by images of the night before, by fragments of her visions and an overactive imagination, fueled by her fears and the horrors she knew were only too real. A part of her wanted to curl up in a corner and cry, but she knew that would only make her feel worse and so she resolutely pushed to her feet and straightened her spine, chin up, chest out. There was no use getting weepy and sinking into misery when she could use the day in a productive way. Her nightmares would catch up to her when she had to go to sleep anyway, no point in wasting her waking hours on them as well. And as for the revelations of the night before, they may not have been all she had hoped for, but as Godric had said it was a start and perhaps at least part of the answer she had been looking for all her life.

She detoured quickly to the bathroom, to relieve herself and brush her teeth and get dressed. Her clothes from the night before were still waterlogged so she used the hairdryer to get her brassiere from wet to merely damp and then slipped into the jeans and long-sleeve she had worn for their flight from Dallas. She took a moment to check on Godric's wet clothes, hung to dry on hangers from the coat peck, and moved them to the bathroom so that they might benefit from the heated towel rack as well. On the way out, she stopped by the bed and dropped a gentle kiss to Godric's lips, just in case she didn't make it back before he woke for the night.

She slipped out of the room in search of some breakfast and despite her earlier resolution, she was relieved to find that Hadley and the other human companions seemed to still be sleeping so that she wouldn't be forced to make conversation or put on a smile to avoid any uncomfortable questions. She managed some dry toast and a banana and then snagged one of the scurrying servers long enough to inquire where she could find a computer with an internet connection in this mansion. Ed, the gangly serving boy, was kind enough to show her to a well-equipped study on the first floor, which, as he assured her, she was free to use.

After she had turned on the computer and found that there was indeed an internet connection, she briefly considered looking up information on banshees. It was a bad idea, she knew that well enough, probably about as advisable as googling whatever symptoms ailed you and self-diagnosing yourself. But she was still tempted. Maybe later, she compromised. First she would worry about her currently non-existent work life.

At home in Dallas, she had already updated her CV and compiled her references and saved all of it on her email account, but she hadn't yet hunted down if there were any jobs to be had at the hospitals and clinics in Shreveport. She hadn't had the time, and, truth be told, she hadn't wanted to be discouraged if it turned out that there were no suitable job openings. Her expectations now were low and as it turned out realistic. It wasn't that there was no demand for nurses, but that many of the available fields and specialties were not feasible for her. She couldn't work in long-term or geriatric care as it required a lot more physical contact than she could bear. Working as a pediatric nurse was out of the question and emergency rooms were minefields for her as well. Still, she found one or two offers that sounded interesting, filled in a couple of online questionnaires, sent a couple more unsolicited applications and copied out some telephone numbers with the vague idea of ringing them later.

By that time it was already past noon and the thought of running into anyone she would have to talk to still filled her with dread so she quickly deleted her browser history and powered down the computer. The dining hall, thankfully, was still deserted when she risked a cautious peek inside and she quickly got herself a cheese sandwich, a chocolate bar and an apple to tide her over till the next meal.

She retraced her steps back to their rooms while munching on her sandwich and almost missed the gift-wrapped package that was leaning against the door frame. She probably had missed it once already when she had left that morning or else someone had put it there in her absence. The package was rectangular in shape, about the size of a thin paperback and her name was printed clearly on the small white card that had been slipped under the red ribbon. She scooped down to pick it up, with some trepidation as she could already reckon who had left it there.

The present was lighter than she had expected and she revised her guess from paperback to a DVD as she unfolded the card.

_Something that might amuse or inspire you to foster your own unique talents – not an accurate representation.  
Feel free to give me a call if you wish for some company for the screening._

There was a cellphone number scrawled at the bottom in the same curly, slightly slanting handwriting. The card wasn't signed, but that was hardly necessary though Liv amused herself for a moment with pondering what titles vampire royalty might tack onto their official correspondence. _Sophie-Anne the First, by the Grace of the Authority, Queen of Louisiana and all its Areas, Defender of the Undead?_ It wasn't particularly funny and neither was the DVD that emerged underneath the discarded wrapping paper, on the cover a nearly naked woman with long blond hair, a red cape and a claw-like hand. Scream of the Banshee - because apparently her life was nothing more than a punchline to the queen. That wasn't fair, probably. She used to have a thicker skin.

She put the DVD down the moment she had pulled the door closed behind her, half hiding it beneath the card and the rest of her snacks. Then she grabbed her phone and sent her aunts identical messages to call her if they had a moment to spare and peaked into the bedroom where Eric and Godric, not surprisingly, were still dead to the world. After a quick trip to the bathroom, she slipped into bed next to Godric, carefully rearranging him so that his head was pillowed on her lap and she could leisurely card her fingers through his short hair, caress his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, lean down to steal a kiss from those soft lips.

"I'm going to figure out how to do that when you're awake," Liv promised quietly, tracing the bow of Godric's lips. "Because this is just a pale consolation prize, I'm sure."

There was no response, of course, and she quickly turned her attention to her phone before it fully registered how lonely it made her feel to be talking to herself. Eric had sent her a bunch of messages again and she couldn't help but be a little apprehensive about that.

//I'm not flirting with you, but your hair looked nice tonight. Please don't dye mine pink – Pam would be upset.//

Liv snorted, throwing a glance at Eric's blond head and then gave into the temptation of reaching out and combing her fingers through the silky strands. It was even softer than Godric's and the dancing lights of the chandelier made it gleam like spun gold. One of her high school classmates had had hair like that, to the envy of them all, soft and luscious and never frizzy as Liv's hair tended to be in wet weather; she'd often worn it in braids. Liv speculatively plucked at Eric's hair, trying to judge its length. Not enough for a regular braid to be sure, but she could probably manage two French braids or a few smaller ones. The image caused her to break out into a smile, though getting into a prank war with Eric was probably not the best idea. Well, depending on what else he had deemed fit to text her.

//We'll be leaving at sunset for Shreveport. Please be ready.//

//I rented a car to spare your nerves so please don't tell me you get car-sick, too.//

Of course, Eric couldn't do something nice without taking a dig at her at the same time, Liv thought with a rather fond roll of her eyes, and then had to fumble for her phone when it started to vibrate in her hand. The caller ID flashed Iris's name.

"What's wrong? Where are you? Do you need me to get you?" Iris said instead of a greeting and Liv had to smile despite herself.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm still in New Orleans with Godric and Eric," Liv tried to reassure her aunt but couldn't suppress a sigh. "I met the Vampire Queen of Louisiana. She thinks I'm a banshee."

"And what's that supposed to be?" Iris demanded and for a moment Liv was honestly stumped, only then realizing how little she had actually learned the previous evening.

"I don't really know," she admitted. "She said it means 'fairy woman', but that I'm not a fairy, and that whatever information is out there might not be very reliable."

"Well, that's helpful," her aunt commented, and Liv could just imagine her, kicking up her feet and leaning back in her swivel chair until it almost toppled over. "What exactly makes her an authority on this anyway?"

"Godric seems to think it's true."

Iris made a disparaging sound. "With all due respect to your boyfriend, and I'm sure he means well, but the last time I checked he didn't have any fucking clue, either. And this so-called queen certainly doesn't know you well enough to determine who you should be."

"I know." Liv huffed out a breath, tinged in equal parts with laughter and tears. "And maybe it's true and I'm a banshee, but it's just… I keep thinking that it should mean something, that it should resonate with me, like a missing piece clicking into place. Instead it's just something I've been told and if I accept it, there'll be this huge blank space in my identity and I wouldn't know what to fill it with."

"And no wonder! What kind of person throws something like this at someone they've only just met?!" her aunt demanded and Liv was suddenly glad that it was Iris who had responded to her message first. She loved both her aunts, admired their strength and their devotion to each other, but they were also undeniable very different people. Beth would have tried to put a positive spin on things, encouraged her to face these new challenges head-on, in that eternally optimistic way that Liv tried to emulate for the most part, but which seemed so very hard to grasp at the moment. Iris, on the other hand, could be effortlessly biased, outraged on her behalf no matter if it was justified or not, simply because they were family and Liv was hurting. She didn't mince words or attempt to put things into perspective, but just shared in Liv's frustration and allowed her to feel sorry for herself a little while longer. It made it easy to talk to her, tell her the whole convoluted tale and receive nothing but support in return.

"Objectively I realize that I know more now than I did before, but it feels like I've been given ten new questions for every answer," Liv said in conclusion, leaning back with a sigh and smoothing Godric's ruffled hair again. "I guess, I should have a look at those documents the queen gave me, huh?"

Iris laughed, the sound slightly crack-up because she was holding the phone too close to her mouth, as always. "You might do that, though I'd say there's no harm in taking a bit of time first to settle into your new life in Louisiana. There're enough changes in your life at the moment that you can postpone any hypothetical existential crisis for a while longer."

Liv laughed as well and felt the weight lift from her chest. "Thanks, I think I needed to hear that."

"Anytime, peanut," Iris answered, the old endearment slipping through the phone like its own embrace. "And for the record, I do not believe for one second that you would ever hurt us with your mystical screaming powers."

"You didn't see them," Liv replied unhappily, absently rubbing the soft patch of skin beneath Godric's ear where the blood had snaked its way down his neck. "The queen looked like she'd been to one too many Black Friday sales event. And Godric… I've never seen him hurt before, not physically at least."

"I'm not saying that your scream is entirely harmless, but I know you," Iris argued. "You're like Beth when it comes to wanting to keep others safe and happy. I think you were about twelve when you decided that you had to learn to cover your mouth, to muffle your scream and to make it safe because you noticed how it scared some people. You did that even though you already had more than enough on your plate. You did that and you did it long before this know-it-all queen came along."

Liv let that sink in for a moment and relaxed her hand that had closed a little too firmly on Godric's shoulder, hoping ardently that he wouldn't be able to feel that as well when he woke up. She leaned down and pressed a row of soft kisses along his tattoo, just in case.

"Thank you, again, I feel a lot better now. I hope I didn't keep you too long."

"Nah, I finished all my nails," Iris dismissed her concerns. "Even managed not to touch anything while they were drying.

"You did your nails while we were talking?" Liv asked, undecided if she should take offense that she hadn't warranted her aunt's full attention.

Iris laughed, probably imagining her niece's face. "Oh, only for the last half an hour or so, when you started to sound like yourself again. And you know I'm great at multitasking."

Liv snorted. "I remember quite a few attempts at cooking that started with that same argument and ended in take-away."

"Hey, what happened to that gratitude of yours?" Iris joked. "And it's not my fault Judy has spoiled your palates with all those cookies and cupcakes."

"Uhu, sure," Liv said non-committedly, leaning back with a grin. "Anyway, I won't keep you any longer, now that your nails are done. I'll call again when we get to Shreveport, or probably the day after."

"You do that," Iris agreed and after a last round of goodbyes they both hung up.

With her heart considerably lighter, Liv returned to perusing Eric's messages, finding that quite a few of them were verging on complimentary, though always accompanied by a disclaimer that he wasn't interested in her or was in fact paraphrasing Godric's words.

//Godric says your eyes are the color of cornflowers. I'm not much into gardening so I'll take his word for it.//

//You don't actually snore, but Godric finds listening to your breathing and your heartbeat very soothing.//

//Anyone who let's your aversion to touch stop them from getting to know you is an idiot. Godric was always smarter than me.//

Liv snorted at that one, but then continued to read the last few messages, hoping that Eric might have included an explanation for this uncharacteristic behavior.

//Pam will probably insist on taking you shopping. You should get some more dresses like the one yesterday. It looked nice on you.//

//One compliment for every insult. Godric thought that was better than a simple apology.//

Liv looked from her phone to the two sleeping vampires, turned to face each other, the space between them where she had been sleeping a negligible breath of air. Even with Godric's head resting in her lap, they remained a unit, inseparable.

//Thank you.// She typed back because that was clearly the least that could be expected from her and then added, //I promise not to dye your hair. Though, full disclosure, I thought about braiding it.//

She wanted to say more, but after several false starts she decided to try again in a personal conversation. Texts were more Eric's style, anyway.

Instead she put her phone away and sneaked another kiss from Godric's soft lips. After that, she bedded his head back onto the pillow so that she could get out of bed and pack her stuff back into her bag, leaving the still slightly damp clothes out for last. She checked once more beneath and behind the furniture to make sure that she hadn't missed anything. She lingered on the books the queen had given her, but by now she was feeling a heaviness in her bones, her thoughts slowing as tiredness swept over her. Or maybe, she admitted to herself, she was afraid of losing her equilibrium again because of what she might find out. She packed them unopened into her bag and then lay back down next to Godric, to rest her eyes for a moment, take a quick nap. Sleep pulled her under almost immediately.

v---v

Her dream shifted so precipitously and so completely that from one fraction of a moment to the next every detail of the old dream was wiped clear, as if it had never been given thought to. The canopy of leaves overhead rustled, whispered secrets, warnings. She wasn't afraid, though, and she wasn't alone.

There was a man sitting next to her, broad-shouldered and a full head taller than her even in his slightly slumped position. His beard was wild and unkempt, his dark hair pulled back into a low, untidy ponytail. He had taken off his helmet, but otherwise he was still in full armor and she could see the dark, rusty spots between the links of his hauberk and on the steel plates of his brigandine, though he didn't appear to have sustained an injury. The blood of his enemies, then.

He was sitting placidly, vacantly staring into space, ignorant of her presence or the ground that broke just a few feet in front of them, crumpling upwards like a flower bursting into bloom, as soon as the sun had dipped completely past the horizon. Godric emerged first, quick and graceful and with practiced ease, and Liv wanted to stand up and go to him, but couldn't move a single muscle. This wasn't real. She wasn't real. Not in this place and time.

Godric knelt down next to the grave, reached out his hand and pulled a sputtering and dirt-covered Viking from the earth. She couldn't make out Eric's features, beneath the dirt and the cover of the night, but Godric was gently illuminated by the light of the moon and with his longer hair, and his tattoos on clear display he looked young and savage; and painfully hopeful as he reached out to Eric, tried to reassure him with words, explain his new existence. Eric wasn't having it though and brushed off the dirt and Godric's advances with equal brusqueness.

She didn't know the language they were speaking, but its melody was becoming familiar to her and somehow she could understand its meaning as if she was watching an old movie with a different language setting. As if she already knew the ending, even though she didn't, not here, not now. Eric and Godric were both still alive. She wasn't about to witness their deaths. That was something at least.

Godric's voice was low and placating, Eric's angry and forceful, menacing. She wasn't surprised when Eric attacked, and probably less surprised than Eric himself when the young vampire suddenly found himself a good few yards past Godric, having misjudged his new speed. It was rather amusing, to be honest, to watch Eric turn around with exaggerated care, one hand raised to touch his extended fangs.

"Vad är det här?(1)" Eric questioned, still tracing the outline of his teeth with one finger and Liv could scarcely imagine how terrifying it must have been for him to lose his humanity, his life, and be turned into something else, something dangerous and unknown in one fell swoop. She was glad to see the sympathy in Godric's gaze, to hear the gentle cadence of his words.

"Var inte rädd. Jag ska lära dig allt jag kann,(2)" Godric said reassuringly, pleadingly.

"Lära mig?" Eric asked scornfully, taking a threatening step towards the smaller vampire. "Du har dödat mina män!(3)"

"Det är min natur," Godric replied, almost gently capturing Eric's wild swinger and pulling his arms down to his side. "Och du är som jag nu. Vi är en.(4)"

Eric pulled in a huge shuddering breath, but made no move to break Godric's hold on him, even slumping slightly towards him as if guided by an invisible hand. Maybe he could already feel the connection between them that would grow so impossibly strong that Eric would be able to pinpoint Godric's state of mind with miles and state lines separating them.

"Jag ska lära dig," Godric repeated before his voice grew even softer. "Du kommer att bli storartad. Lita på mig.(5)"

When Eric answered his voice was dipped lower, no longer angry or accusing and he seemed to be studying Godric with more curiosity than murderous intent. His fangs were still extended. Incongruously, it made him look younger, less like a Viking warrior and more like a kid with braces. Harmless. It wasn't true, of course, which became all too clear when the two vampires suddenly turned to look at her, or rather at the silent man next to her. His chest was rising and falling with his even breaths, but there was no consciousness behind his eyes, no reaction to the sudden intense scrutiny of two predators. It was eerie, and she wished desperately that she could skip the next few scenes. She knew who was going to die that night and as peaceful as the dream, her vision, had been until then, she didn't want to witness what came next.

Godric had tried to tell her before, had warned her that there were dark chapters in his past, a cornucopia of sin, that he was a killer. And she had understood it intellectually and had privately, and not-so-privately disagreed. She still disagreed. Godric – and by extension Eric - may have killed people, but they weren't killers. There was too much good in them, too much kindness, too much love. They weren't killers, but they were predators and Liv was slightly overwhelmed by the realization of what that actually meant, of having to acknowledge and accept that side of them. Preferably before she woke up or she would only give Godric another reason to hate himself.

She wanted to remain focused on Godric and Eric, on the wondrous connection between them that seemed to strengthen with every moment that passed. But she couldn't block out the unwilling third party to the beginning of their shared story or the howling scream the man let loose when Eric punched his new fangs into the man's wrist. He desperately tried to scramble to get away, to free his arm from the grip of Eric's teeth. His eyes were wide in fear and his voice cracked, pitched high with pain, a jarring counterpoint to Godric's calm instructions.

"Sakta," the Godric of her vision said, putting one hand on Eric's shoulder to get his attention. "Hans puls blir svagare. Om du inte slutar att dricka, kommer han att dö.(6)"

Eric pulled his fangs free, his lips and chin covered in red as he turned towards his maker. "Jag bryr mig inte. Han försökte döda mig.(7)"

The man used Eric's momentary distraction to tear himself free, his foot connecting sharply with some part of Eric's head, maybe his temple or his ear or his jaw, Liv didn't see it clearly. Eric reared back, baring his bloody fangs and gave chase. Two steps, three steps, that was all the man managed. Then Eric was around and in front of him, grabbed his arms, gave him a push that would probably have caused the man to stop or stumble a step back if Eric had still been human. As it was, the man was thrown off his feet, crashed into the trunk of the tree next to Liv with the sound of bones breaking.

She tried to close her eyes. Eric smiled at her with bloody teeth. Someone was calling her name. She couldn't hear anything past her own furious heartbeat, the man's short, labored breaths. Pneumothorax. His skin was turning blue. Godric was calling her name. Her limbs were frozen. She couldn't move. Eric attacked.

And she jerked awake and found the blond vampire uncomfortably close, his hand on her arm, his face only inches away from hers. She let out a startled scream, scrambling back and raising her arms defensively before she fully registered that this Eric was probably not going to hurt her.

"Liv?" Godric asked, his voice a soft, soothing murmur in her ear as he held her securely in his arms.

"I'm awake," Liv choked out more to reassure herself than in answer to Godric's query, pressing herself back against Godric's strong chest and squeezing her eyes shut. She snapped them open again immediately when the images of her vision started flashing over the screen of her closed eyelids. "Damn."

"I would never hurt you," Eric said defensively when she met his gaze again and had to force herself not to let out another squeak, her heart jumping in her chest with a new surge of adrenalin.

"I just need a moment, please." Her voice was shaking nearly as badly as her hands.

"Of course," Godric agreed immediately, tightening his arms around her. "Eric will get some water for you."

She murmured out a thank you and just focused on breathing, on centering herself in reality once more. Godric's steady presence helped more than she had thought possible and when Eric returned, after deliberately taking his time, and offered her a glass of water she accepted it gratefully and with a timid smile.

"Thanks, Eric. I'm sorry I reacted like that."

"Normally I would be flattered," Eric replied with a shrug of his broad shoulders and a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes. "But then again, normally I would know what I did to make your heart race like that."

"Sorry," Liv murmured again, trying to lean back against Godric and twisting in surprise when he stopped her with a hand between her shoulder blades.

"I'm still not wearing a shirt," Godric said apologetically. "I don't want you to be pushed into another vision. I'm sorry I didn't prevent this one."

"You were asleep," Liv protested immediately. "It's hardly your fault that I wasn't more careful. And… it wasn't all bad, you know? Just the last few minutes or so."

"Your vision only lasted three and a half minutes," Godric argued, with a stubborn furrow between his eyebrows.

"It felt longer than that. They usually do," Liv replied, nudging her shoulder gently against Godric's. "Would you mind getting dressed? I want to tell you what I saw and explain why I reacted that way, but I'd really like to be able to hug you."

Godric obediently got up, but then hesitated. "My clothes are gone."

"I put them in the bathroom so that they would dry more quickly."

A moment later, Godric was back, fully dressed and she immediately moved into his arms, burying her face against his chest and breathing in his clean, earthy smell. "I don't even know who of you I was touching."

"Me," Godric answered and she could hear the smile in his voice. "You were wrapped around me from behind. It was lovely – but then you… and I didn't like that at all."

"At least it wasn't another vision of your death," Liv pointed out softly before taking a deep breath to brace herself. "I think I saw Eric's first night as a vampire and… I liked watching you two interact. I hope that's okay."

"You know we don't mind," Godric replied easily, but Liv lightly shook her head before craning to look over her shoulder at Eric. "I know you don't. But this is about Eric as well."

"Enhanced senses," Eric answered with an eloquent shrug. "I'm seeing you struggle with yours. It only seems fair that you saw me struggle with mine."

"It was rather hilarious when your fangs popped out," Liv admitted, but couldn't help the jump in her heartbeat when Eric playfully flashed her his fangs.

Eric pulled his lips closed immediately, taking a demonstrative step back and exchanging a long look with his maker. "Are you upset that I tried to attack Godric in your vision?"

"I'm upset that I just saw you kill a man and I was right next to him," Liv corrected, sighing at the sudden tension she could feel in Godric's body. "I'm sorry. I wish I could just push it away and move on, but it felt like you were attacking me and you're damn scary when you want to be."

"And apparently also when I don't," Eric replied with a sardonically arched eyebrow.

"A little," Liv agreed, running her hand up and down Godric's back to try to make him relax. "Godric, hey, even if I thought that it was in any way my place to judge you, I would not hold this against you."

"I was the one who glamoured that man to sit there and wait for his death," Godric argued in a pained whisper, only stopping his physical retreat when Liv grabbed his arm and placed it around her waist once more.

"I know, just as I know that he was the one who injured Eric and that you picked him to make it easier for Eric to drink his blood," Liv explained, smiling slightly at their surprised looks. "I don't need to know what language you're speaking to understand what you're saying in these visions and your concern for Eric was very clear."

"We're vampires, Liv," Godric replied sadly, his hold on her loose and easily breakable in contrast to the stiffness of his posture. "This is the least of what you will find in my past. And most of it you will not find as easy to excuse."

"I'm not excusing anything," Liv corrected gently. "But your lives were different then - you were different, and it wouldn't be fair to judge you for something that happened such a long time ago. So, if I have another vision of your past, I can't promise that I won't be upset by what I see or that I will agree with every decision you ever made, but I promise that I will always listen if you want to tell me something and that there is **nothing** in your past that could make me love you less for the man you are today."

Godric's gaze snapped up to hers, a raw look of hope in his eyes, a sudden charge in the air. "You love me?"

The confession had felt so natural, so self-evident and the rest of her message so vitally important, that she had barely registered how it slipped out. She didn't regret it, though. She never would.

She smiled shyly. "Not the part I wanted you to focus on, but yes, of course I love you."

Godric's smile was blinding as he carefully curled his arm around her waist and gently placed his hand over her heart. "I beg your pardon, Liv, I promise I will give everything you just said due consideration. But first, allow me to bask in this unexpected gift a while longer. You're amazing. I -"

"Please don't say it," Liv interrupted him, gripping his forearm.

"But I -"

"I know," Liv interrupted him again with a sheepish, apologetic look. "I know. But it feels like we've been passing and jumping over all these milestones in our relationship and hardly took the time to appreciate any of them. I just don't want to rush this, too."

"We have been moving rather quickly, even for human standards," Godric admitted, sending her a sympathetic smile. "It's part of the reason why I asked your permission to court you. I don't want to rush this, either."

They exchanged smiles as Godric tapped his fingers lightly against her breastbone, mirroring her heartbeat, before he admitted softly, "I don't want you to take it back, though. I've waited two thousand years to hear you say it."

"Oh, I'm not taking anything back. I love you, Godric, with all my heart," Liv promised. "I just think I could have planned that a little better, instead of blurting it out like that."

"It was spontaneous and heartfelt and exactly what I needed to hear," Godric corrected. "It was perfect."

"Well, I guess we know who the romantic one in this relationship is." Liv laughed, pressing a kiss to Godric's clothes-covered shoulder. "That's why I don't want to miss out on our courtship."

"You think I'm romantic?" Godric asked through his smile.

"Godric, you just told me that you waited two thousand years for me. You literally sweep me off my feet when I say or do anything that makes you happy. You brought a jacket to our first outing because you thought I might get cold. You got citronella candles for your terrace because the mosquitos were bothering me. You made a rose for me out of paper and you wrote me the most amazing letter." Liv lightly shook her head. "If you made me feel any more appreciated, I'd probably start flying all by myself."

Godric smiled even wider, securely closing his hands on her waist and carefully, oh-so-carefully and slowly drifting them up into the air, just a few centimeters until her tiptoes were no longer brushing the floor. Liv instinctively clutched tighter to his shoulders, not in fright, exactly, but in something less comfortable than mere nervousness, and Godric gently set her down again. "So maybe I'll wait with saying those particular words out loud until you're more comfortable with the idea of flying."

"Or until I can kiss you for saying them," Liv offered. "Because I really want to do that, too."

"I do want that as well," Godric said, leaning in close and breathing the suggestion of a kiss against her lips. "I do very much."

Liv flashed him a grin, feeling the by now almost familiar boost to her confidence at Godric's words. There was no-one else in the world who could make her feel as strong and as beautiful and as special as Godric did on a regular basis. "I know."

A few more almost kisses, gentle touches, caresses that could have been innocent if there was less tension between them, and Liv almost forgot where they were and everything else that was going on. Almost. When she drew back slightly, she noted that they were alone and that Eric must have left to give them some privacy.

"I wish there were fewer horrors in my past, fewer things that I regret or am ashamed off," Godric murmured, seeming to realize that Liv's thoughts had drifted away from romance. "And I desperately wish that I could spare you from experiencing any of them first-hand, through one of your visions."

"I can't imagine it's very comfortable to have me poking through your memories like that," Liv said apologetically.

"That's not what I meant," Godric argued. "Liv… we tried to wake you, but you didn't respond and your heart was going faster and faster. I don't think a human heart is made to withstand such a pace. And then… the smell of your fear, the terror in your eyes when you woke and saw Eric – how could I ever cope with you looking at me like that?"

"By remembering that I love you; by giving me space when I need a moment to come back to reality; by talking to me. And by hugging me tightly once I'm ready for it," Liv answered, opening her arms with a hopeful smile and resting her cheek against Godric's chest when he enclosed her in his strong, gentle arms. "Perfect."

"Mind if I join?" Liv startled slightly as another body molded itself against her back, a second pair of arms moving to embrace her. "I feel like I should be included in this, too."

Liv laughed softly, feeling surprisingly relaxed in between the two vampires, knowing that if she wanted to be let go the slightest hint would suffice. "You two give great hugs."

"Anytime," Godric and Eric said simultaneously, making her laugh again.

"I'll also have you know that I can absolutely pull off braids," Eric added after a few moments and she sensed a gentle tug on her own hair.

"Not the braids I had in mind," Liv replied. "Though your hair is a bit short in any case. Besides… it's not that I don't appreciate the texts you sent me last night, but when I said I accepted your apology, I accepted your apology, you know? This wasn't necessary."

"Respectfully, I disagree," Godric spoke up as they slowly unraveled from their group hug. "I read the messages Eric deemed fit to send you before and while all of them were insulting – which, as I understand, was the point – I know that some of them hurt you more than you're willing to admit."

"They were just words," Liv replied softly, raising her hand when Godric made to protest. "And I appreciate your concern, but maybe you could both hold back on trying to fix these perceived problems in my relationship to the respective other?"

"You tried to fix my relationship with Godric last night," Eric pointed out, not unkindly. "You asked him to forgive me."

"I… I did, didn't I?" she asked, shaking her head at her own hypocrisy. "I'm sorry."

"I appreciated your help. We both did." Eric corrected and she suddenly found herself sandwiched again between the two vampires. "I can assure you that we're far less concerned with you coming between us than you seem to be."

"I can see that now," Liv mumbled and felt the soothing rumble of laughter in Godric's chest. "I guess I was just wondering if you sent me those texts because you wanted to or because you thought I was still holding a grudge because of the things I said to tease you."

"I knew you were teasing," Eric said, but Liv craned her neck to look inquiringly at Godric.

"I tend to take words rather literally, but it's easy enough to discern their true meaning if I review them in my mind," Godric explained. "Besides, Eric likes to make jokes and I'm becoming very familiar with your heartbeat, your scent, your mimic. I knew you weren't fighting."

"That's good," Liv agreed, breathing a sigh of relief. "Because I like Eric's sense of humor. And I love your earnestness."

"No, not again," Eric ordered, releasing her from his arms and also tugging her and Godric apart. "The sun will set in half an hour and we do not have time for another one of your lovey-dovey interludes. Godric – shower. Liv – find some other way to amuse yourself."

"See, he thinks he's funny," Godric commented with a grin, pushing Eric towards the bathroom and then capturing Liv in another hug. "Thank you, cridiíon imon."

"English, please," Liv reminded him.

In response, Godric's smile got even wider, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement and his teeth flashing white and even. "As per our agreement, I'm not allowed."

"You little sneak!" Liv laughed, swatting lightly at Godric's arm but only stirring the air as Godric danced away, blew her a kiss and disappeared into the bathroom with an exaggerated bow and the same wide grin.

Liv shook her head even as an overwhelming feeling of fondness spread through her body and the sound of the shower turning on filtered into the bedroom. Someone help her, she was in love with a 2000-year-old dork.

She went to straighten the bed covers, just for something to do, and also tugged on her clothes to make them look less like she had fallen asleep in them, though she still felt less than put together when she was done. She packed the rest of her clothes and then picked up the apple she had saved from the breakfast table to eat it while she waited for her two companions to finish in the bathroom. The problem with that only presented itself when she threw the core into the bin and then couldn't find a napkin to wipe her fingers.

She went back into the bedroom and listened for a moment. When she couldn't hear the shower anymore she softly knocked on the bathroom door.

"Come in!" Eric's voice beckoned her only a second later.

"Eric, if you're naked in there, you'd better put on some clothes because I don't need to see that," she called in answer and tried to suppress the instinctive wince when a grinning Eric tore the door open. That he was only wearing a towel around his waist took a moment longer to register.

"Maybe you don't need to see this, but who wouldn't want to?" Eric answered, tapering his smile down into something less toothy and making the impressive muscles in his chest dance.

"You just can't help yourself, can you?" Liv asked rhetorically before making a shooing gesture. "Move it, my hands are sticky."

"Oh, Liv, I love it when you talk dirty to me," Eric proclaimed with an exaggerated waggle of his eyebrows, and despite the teasing comment she was glad that Eric seemed to be on board with ignoring her momentary skittishness until it passed.

She still rolled her eyes at him and hoped she wasn't blushing too hard as she slipped past him into the bathroom and quickly lost track of their conversation. "Are you... brushing your fangs?"

Godric met her eyes in the bathroom mirror, maintaining eye contact as he lowered the toothbrush and leaned down to spit a mouthful of frothy tooth paste into the sink. There was still a bit of foam at the corner of his mouth and his fangs peaked over his full bottom lip as he quirked a bemused smile at her.

"Am I doing it wrong?" he asked, glancing down at the toothbrush in his hand as if there was an instruction manual printed on the side before he turned on the water for her so she could wash her hands.

She quickly rinsed off the apple juices and dried her hands on a towel and then wrapped her arms around Godric's waist, hugging him from behind. "Of course not. I just didn't know you even had to brush your teeth. It's not like you can get cavities, right?"

"I can still get bad breath," Godric pointed out, taking up his toothbrush again while his free arm went to wrap over Liv's, holding her in place against his back. He started brushing his teeth again, short even strokes away from the gums, and the same look of intense concentration on his face that sent her heart aflutter.

"This is the single most adorable thing I have ever seen," she admitted in a whisper, hiding her smile against his shoulder even as Godric pulled her in closer.

"So, Liv, is it safe for me to practice my own dental hygiene? I wouldn't want you to think that I'm being a tease," Eric asked, unnecessarily adjusting the towel around his waist as he stepped up beside them and reached for his own toothbrush.

"Because you're clearly worried about that," Liv commented dryly and Eric grinned at her, all sharp fangs and toothpaste, and she felt not even a twinge of panic only a creeping sort of fond amusement and smiled back, relaxed and easy. Eric grinned even wider in response and then started to scrub his molars with undue enthusiasm.

It was all so strangely, wonderfully domestic, Liv thought, as she watched them brush their teeth and fangs (and took an extra moment to get over the fact that they flossed too). They didn't look like predators, despite their pointed incisors being on clear display, and the perfect choreography of their movements - the way Eric turned on the water so that Godric could rinse his toothbrush or Godric handed over the shaving cream before Eric could ask for it - reminded her that not everything she had seen in her vision had been bad. Most of it had been like this and it made it easy to let to go of that last kernel of fear, to feel nothing but happy to be included in this.

* * *

(1) What is this?

(2) Don't be afraid. I will teach you everything I know.

(3) Teach me? You killed my men!

(4) That is my nature. And you are like me now. We are one.

(5) I will teach you. You will be magnificent. Trust me.

(6) Slowly. His pulse is weakening. If you don't stop drinking, he will die.

(7) I don't care. He tried to kill me.


	14. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity

**14\. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity – The Planets, Op. 32 – Gustav Holst**

Liv had taken one look at the sleek, low-slung BMW and the way Eric was twirling the keys around his fingers with a lazy grin and had then firmly declined Godric's offer of letting her ride shot-gun. She had no doubt that Eric was a very competent driver, but she would rather not have a front-row seat to him breaking all available traffic laws and speed limits. Instead she had slipped into the backseat, put on her seat belt and dozed on and off, catching only a flash of scenery here, a snippet of soft conversation there, but missing most of the journey.

She woke to Godric gently rubbing her shoulder in tiny, concentrated circles and when she peeled her eyes open, she found that he had twisted himself into the backseat with her, close enough that she could have kissed him. She sighed softly and settled for a slow caress along his arm instead before she used his shoulder to pull herself from her slumped position.

"Are we there?" Liv asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and trying to focus her thoughts on something other than how kissable Godric's lips looked.

Godric furrowed his brow at the imprecision of her question. "We're at a gas station outside of Baton Rouge. I thought you might like something from the shop?"

Liv nodded after a short moment of deliberation and within the next blink of the eye, Godric was opening her car door from the outside, offering her his arm to help her out of the car. She had to blink a few times at the harsh fluorescent light she stepped into, at the bright red beams along the roof of the gas station and the flashing neon signs in the shop windows. It all looked fairly modern and in good order, but there were still enough dark corners to leave her with a slight feeling of unease and glad that she wasn't alone.

Eric was lounging against the side of the car, all effortless grace and unaffected ennui, giving her a slight nod when their eyes met before he turned his attention back to his ever present phone. Godric gently pressed his hand against the small of her back, nudging her forward and towards the tiny convenience store with its illuminated ads for cold beer, cigarettes and 24-hour service. Inside, crackly radio music filtered over a speaker system and the shelves were arranged in tight rows and filled to the brim as if space was the only thing in short supply.

"I didn't know what to get for you," Godric offered apologetically, stopping suddenly in one of the aisles and tilting his head towards one of the shelves. The one with the feminine hygiene products.

"Oh," Liv murmured, finally noting the slight tugging pain in her abdomen and the hint of nausea that always accompanied the first few days of her period, now that she was paying attention to it. "Does it bother you?"

"Why should it?" Godric asked, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Menstruation is a natural aspect of a woman's life."

"I probably smell like blood," Liv pointed out, reaching for a box of tampons.

Godric quirked a smile, carefully closing his arms around her waist and pulling her close before inhaling against her neck. "Which to me is sweeter than the most exquisite perfume. You always smell nice, but now your scent is intoxicating."

"And that's a good thing?" Liv asked doubtfully, even while her hands traced along his spine, feeling the strong, sculpted muscles of his back.

Godric's eyes softened almost imperceptibly as he looked at her. "Your blood is not even on the list of reasons I feel for you how I feel, cridiíon imon."

"How do you always know just what to say?" Liv murmured.

"I read a lot of romance novels in the last century," Godric gave back seriously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "And also quite a few critical reviews so I know they don't necessarily portray healthy relationships."

She laughed lightly, pressing a quick kiss to his shoulder before she pulled back. "That's really, really good to know."

Godric smiled again, gently rubbing her elbow before he released her completely. "Do you want anything else? I think the cashier is getting impatient with us."

"Let me just pick up some water," Liv said. "Could you ask for the key to the restrooms, please?"

"Of course."

The drinks filled both sides of the next aisle over, seguing into a cooler section that was stocked with single bottles of beer, soda, water and Tru Blood. She hesitated a moment, a small bottle of water already tucked into the crook of her elbow, on whether or not to get some Tru Blood for the two vampires.

"Godric?" she asked, pitching her voice low but knowing that Godric would hear her nonetheless. "Would you like me to get some Tru Blood for you?"

"That would be nice," Godric agreed, appearing next to her and offering her a clunky key with an even clunkier miniature tire as a keyfob before reaching for a bottle of A Positive. "I can share with Eric. He always goes too fast when he's hungry."

That argument was a little too convincing for Liv's taste, and from the few impressions she had caught of their ride so far, she really didn't care to find out if Eric would go even faster on an empty stomach.

They moved to the cashier's desk and to the embarrassed looking young man who manned the counter. "Will that be all?" he asked, scanning the few items while studiously avoiding her gaze and handling the box of tampons like they were hazardous material.

"Plus the gas," Liv said. "And could you heat up the Tru Blood, please?"

"Yes, Ma'am," the cashier answered, still without meeting her eyes. "Cash or card?"

"Card," Liv answered, slipping her card from her wallet and holding it out for the cashier to take, trying not to wince at the total.

Before the young man could accept it, though, Eric's hand closed around her forearm and pulled it down while he extended his own card with his free hand. "I'll pay."

"Eh, no, you won't." Liv tried to slap his arm away, but didn't even receive a symbolic moment of imbalance for her efforts. "You already paid for everything else. You can at least let me pay for this. Unless you want my tampons."

"I heard they're great for treating nosebleeds," Eric replied, smirking at her. "Besides, they cost less than the Tru Blood and I don't think you want that."

"Did you just base your argument off of a teen movie?" Liv asked incredulously. "I think that disqualifies you from this discussion."

"What discussion?" Eric asked innocently, just as the cash register ka-chinged and started to print out the receipt which the cashier handed over to Godric.

"Your boyfriend already paid, Ma'am," the cashier said, clearly communicating that she should get her card, and her tampons, out of his face.

Said boyfriend – and that seemed a very strange word to apply to Godric – was looking at her with a small hopeful smile as he pocketed his money and reached for the heated bottle of Tru Blood and her bottle of water.

Liv blew out a frustrated breath and then swallowed most of what she wanted to say. "Thank you. I'll be right back."

She grabbed the box of tampons and slipped past them, following the signs towards the restrooms. She tried to be as quick as possible, both to keep her mind off of other topics and because she didn't want to keep the two vampires waiting. Her period had barely started, just a tiny smear of blood on the toilet paper, and she had to admit that it was kind of handy to have this vampiric pre-warning system. Still, it was a little disconcerting to realize that Godric had a better awareness of her body than she herself did. Another mark in his favor. As if the power imbalance wasn't skewed enough already. She found it more frustrating than worrying and that in itself was part of the problem.

The two vampires were waiting for her when she came back to the car and Godric immediately opened the door for her, handing her the bottled water once she was settled. She gave him a small smile because she didn't like the sad look in his eyes and then reached for her bag to get out the thin black gloves she had stuffed in there. Eric had turned on the air conditioning so it was cool enough inside the car that she wouldn't be too uncomfortable wearing them. She slipped her gloved hand into Godric's moments after Eric had started the car and pulled out of the station.

"Contrary to popular myth, we cannot actually read minds, so please tell me if there is something that upsets you," Godric said after they had ridden for a few minutes in silence, turning sideways on his seat and peering at her over the backrest. "I thought you didn't want Eric to pay."

Liv sighed softly. "And I didn't want you to pay, either. I know that both of you mean well, but you haven't allowed me to pay for anything so far – not for the moving company, not for the meal at the roadhouse, not for the rental car, not even for the groceries you told Pam to get and -"

"When did you talk to Pam?" Eric interrupted her, looking over his shoulder.

"Eyes on the road, please," Liv urged. "And you gave me her number, remember? I called her and she asked what type of cereal I wanted. And -"

"Why did you call her?" Eric interrupted her again though this time without turning around.

"I was worried about you so I asked her to make sure that you were taking care of yourself. Now do you mind if I finish my thought?"

"Sure," Eric agreed, accelerating slightly to overtake a slower vehicle and making Liv cling tighter to Godric's hand.

"I guess what it boils down to is that I'm starting feel like a kept woman and that's not me," Liv said softly. "I can and I want to pay my own way."

"It used to be customary for a man to provide for the woman of his interest and to pay for her needs," Godric hazarded, studying her intently. "It was proof of his regard for her."

"But – correct me if I'm wrong – that was also because most women did not have a chance to earn money of their own," Liv argued.

"Well, at the moment you are also unemployed," Eric replied and it wasn't said in a mean way, but it was still uncomfortable to have it put so bluntly.

"You missed a stop sign."

Eric slowed marginally, casting her a quick glance through the rearview mirror. "We have amassed more riches than we could spend in several lifetimes and you're uprooting your whole life for us, for Godric. It seems only right that we cover your expenses."

"It's an expression of your independence," Godric spoke up before Liv could find a way to answer, gently squeezing her hand. "I understand now. If you want you can give me the money for your tampons and Eric will let you pay him back for the groceries."

"Provided Pam bought things you actually want," Eric hedged and from the fragment of his face she could see in the mirror he looked decidedly unhappy about Godric's verdict.

It didn't diminish her relief at Godric's ready understanding and acceptance, though there was still one issue that she wanted to address and that Eric had persistently dodged whenever she had tried to bring it up before. "I want to pay rent, too."

"Absolutely not," Eric snapped, shifting into a higher gear to speed past another vehicle. "You're our guest."

"But as long as I'm a guest, as long as I don't pay any rent, I'm only there on your sufferance," Liv protested quietly, with a worried glance at the landscape flying past. "And any time I do something to annoy you, I would feel like I overstayed my welcome."

"How about you just don't annoy me then?" Eric quipped back and Liv felt her shoulders slump because that wasn't the solution – it was the problem. If Eric didn't agree to let her pay rent she would always feel like she had to walk on eggshells around him, like she was intruding on his territory and needed to be on her best behavior or risk being kicked to the curb without so much as a moment's notice. And as much as she loved Godric, she wasn't sure that she could live like that.

Godric gripped her hand a little tighter and then exchanged another one of those speaking looks with Eric, who huffed out a long breath. "You will always be welcome, Liv. And Shreveport can be your home without you having to put a strain on your finances."

"Having a bit more control over my life, symbolic as it might be, would be worth the dent in my bank account," Liv said. "Please, Eric."

Eric threw the car around a tight curve, barely taking the foot off the gas, and Liv sucked in a harsh breath, only Godric's hand stopping her from being thrown against the door.

"You make it very difficult to do something nice for you, Liv," Eric pointed out and he sounded so long-suffering that Liv just had to laugh, more relieved than she could put into words.

"I thought you liked a challenge," she said teasingly, giving his shoulder a light pat. "And if you want to do something nice for me, let me pay rent and please, please, please drive more slowly. Not all of us are immortal."

"I'm starting to think you're a horrible passenger, no matter the mode of transportation," Eric gave back but slowed down at least marginally. "And it was so peaceful, too, when you were asleep."

"That's probably true," Liv admitted, smiling when Godric squeezed her hand in support. "I guess I've just seen too many fatal car accidents… and too many crash victims at the hospital."

"You're forgetting that this car comes with two added safety features," Godric said, his lips twitching into a smile when Liv just tilted her head in confusion. "Eric and me."

Liv laughed, leaning further forward so that she could more or less hug Godric over the back of his seat. She could see the mile markers flying past, the white stripes on the asphalt blurring as Eric zipped along the road in blatant disregard of any speed limits. But Godric was caressing her arm, hiding his nose in the crook of her elbow and inhaling deeply as if she truly smelled just as amazing as he had claimed and she felt absolutely, unquestionably safe.

Their silence was companionable, soothing, with not even the radio interrupting the quiet. Liv only drew back when her back began to protest the awkward position.

"Is something wrong?" Godric asked, twisting to peer worriedly at her.

"Just a crink in my neck," Liv reassured him, slowly rolling her shoulders and stretching her legs. "How much longer till we arrive in Shreveport?"

"About two and a half hours," Eric offered, just to add with another smirk. "Less if you go back to sleep."

"All right, I can take a hint." Liv rolled her eyes. "Just remember that there're other people on the road as well and very few of them will have your reflexes."

"Yes, dear," Eric intoned sarcastically, pulling back onto the right lane moments before there would have been a collision with oncoming traffic.

Liv blew out a shaky breath and then decided that it was in her best interest to claim the blissful ignorance of sleep. She curled up against the door, resting her head lightly against the window as Godric asked Eric something that was too soft for her to hear. Their conversation lulled her to sleep. By now, the language these two seemed to prefer when they were conversing amongst themselves was becoming familiar, the rhythm of their sentences and the cadence of their words a comforting lullaby. Maybe she could ask them to teach her a few words.

v---v

She woke when Godric opened the door, carefully catching her against his body.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Godric murmured, easily swinging her out of the car. "I was going to carry you inside. We're in Shreveport."

"And still in one piece, I might add," Eric spoke up, getting her bag before locking the car. "Welcome to your new home."

Liv had to take a deep breath to get a grip on the almost overwhelming feeling of relief and gratitude that swept through her at those words. "I'm going to hug you now," she then declared, slipping from Godric's hold and wrapping her arms around Eric's middle, pressing her cheek against his silent heart. "Thank you for saying that. You're kind of stupidly amazing, do you know that?"

"So I've heard. Though usually after sex and without the 'stupidly'," Eric replied, giving her an awkward pat on the back. "You can let go now."

"Sorry," Liv said as she drew back, brushing a strand of hair out of her face to hide her embarrassment.

Eric grinned a slightly toothy smile as he nudged her back towards Godric. "It's not that I don't appreciate having you in my arms, but – to put it in your words – you smell kind of stupidly tasty right now and Godric might be disappointed if I lose control."

"You have excellent control," Godric pointed out as he carefully took Liv's hand. "It's just that you're not very good with feelings."

Liv bit back her smile, just catching the tail-end of Eric's forbidding glare in the direction of his maker, but then decided that a change of subject might be in order. "It's a beautiful home."

It was at that, though 'impressive' might have been a better description. They were standing in the long winding driveway leading to something like a modern fortress, a monument made of concrete and glass, minimalistic but for its sheer size and clean-cut elegance. It didn't look like something that had been built with aesthetics in mind, but the extensive grounds surrounding the estate looked well-kept and the lights flickered on in welcome, lending an unexpected warmth to the complex. To her new home.

Eric's main objective, from what she came to understand, had been security, though. The perimeter of the estate was monitored by cameras and equipped with motion sensors. The windows all had added UV protection and black-out shutters that lowered and opened automatically according to the sun's position. There even was a back-up generator that would provide emergency power in case of a power failure or tampering.

Eric gave her a quick tour of the ground floor, pointing out the kitchen and the way to the back terrace and telling her that she could explore the house later at her own leisure, before he led them to the first floor and a room with a truly spectacular view. It was a corner room, with two of the four walls taken up by a floor-to-ceiling window front that gave view to the gardens and the gigantic pool. It was done in the same style as the rest of the house, but there was a fluffy white rug on the oak parquet and some of her own colorful pillows scattered on the seating furniture, breaking the clean lines and clear color scheme of the rest of the house. Someone had also made up the queen-sized box-spring bed with her own bed clothes and piled her moving boxes in one of the corners.

"Wow," Liv breathed out, stepping up to the window front and peering into the darkness, down at the glittering turquoise of the water. "Is this my room?"

"If you don't like it, there are others you can choose from," Eric offered, dropping her bag next to the door. "Godric thought you might like a room with a lot of exposure to sunlight."

"It's important to refill your vitamin D reserves," Godric explained, stepping up behind her and enclosing her in his arms. "Do you like it?"

"It's amazing," Liv murmured, sinking into his embrace. "I just… it seems rather unsafe for you. I like sleeping in your arms."

"Godric and I will be sleeping downstairs. There're some added safety protocols, of course, but you're welcome to join us," Eric answered before motioning her over to a control panel next to the door. "You can manually open the blinds on the first floor, though they won't open during the day if one of the safety doors downstairs is unlocked. I'll show you what I mean in a minute."

Eric had her scan her handprint and memorize a seven-digit code, as well as two panic codes that she could enter instead to either lock down the house or to sound the alarm. The numbers had no discernible meaning for her, a completely random set of ciphers and she would have liked to write them down to aide her memory, but Eric's narrowed eyes communicated all too clearly what he thought of that idea. After she pointed out that she did not, in fact, possess perfect recall, Eric yielded so far as to allow her to change the panic codes to her aunts' birthdays – minus the first number.

The system itself, thankfully, was rather self-explanatory with just two buttons to open or close the blinds either for a specific room or for the entire upper floor. Even Godric seemed inclined to approve of the simplicity of its operation, studying the control panel over Liv's shoulder while his hand drew lazy and all-together very distracting circles on her stomach.

"Do you want to see the downstairs?" Godric offered, tucking her under his arm and pulling her tight against his side. "Or you can go to bed here and I'll stay with you until sunrise. You seem a bit tired."

"Downstairs," Liv answered immediately, leaning her head against his shoulder and suppressing a yawn. "How long till sunrise? I can stay up a little while longer."

"A few more hours," Godric replied. "But your life is on a different schedule than ours and you should not forego sleep on my account."

Liv laughed softly and then pressed a kiss to his shoulder. "I'm a nurse, Godric. My life has been on a different schedule from most humans even before I met you. And it's nice to finally have a reason other than work to stay awake through the night."

"Shall we then?" Eric interrupted, motioning them to follow him. "There's some business I would like to attend to tonight so you two will have enough privacy to tend to the emotional upkeep of your relationship later... The garage is through there. You can take one of the cars if you want to go somewhere during the day. The keys are next to the door."

Liv murmured a quiet thank you as they followed the tall Viking down another inconspicuous hallway that was decorated with a variety of landscape pictures, some photographs, some hand painted, from snow-covered mountain ranges and serpentine forest paths to waterfalls and sandy beaches. Eric passed by a photograph of colorful Northern Lights and then stopped opposite of a painting of a sole figure looking out over a foggy landscape.

He turned to the blank wall and placed his hand against it. The slabs of concrete split almost soundlessly and one of them moved back into the wall to give way to a short flight of stairs that led down, though Liv could only make out the first few steps before they were swallowed by complete darkness.

"I'll have to install some lights," Eric mused, correctly interpreting her unhappy expression. "For now Godric can lead you downstairs and I'll find you a flashlight for the day. Place your hand here."

Liv obediently followed Eric's instructions, adjusting her hand slightly to the left when she missed the hidden sensors on the first try.

"Leave it there," Eric ordered and then sped down the stairs, disappearing from her side.

"The control screen is down there," Godric explained. "Eric is very serious about his safety."

"Our safety," Eric corrected, appearing back next to them. "That includes you, Pam and now Liv, and I expect you to place the same value on your life that I do."

"You don't have to chide me, Eric," Godric gave back mildly. "You know that I feel differently now."

He touched Liv's waist in a silent question and swung her up into his arms when she acquiesced with a nod. She hardly felt the up and down of the steps – maybe Godric was floating rather than walking, but in the pitch black of the corridor it was hard to be sure. Godric stopped in front of another illuminated touch screen that sent weak rays through the darkness, casting their faces in eerie lines. He didn't let her down, though, much to her relief. She didn't fancy having to orient herself and find her footing in this contourless obscurity.

"The code is the same as for the windows upstairs," Eric explained, his long, graceful fingers dancing over the numbers. "I trust you still remember it?"

Liv nodded and rested her head back against Godric's shoulder as Eric continued his explanation, "There are three reinforced steel doors. You'll need the code for the first and your handprint again for the last one. The one in the middle will open automatically if the other doors are closed."

They were moving again, barely before Liv had time to register that the shifting shadows she had seen in her peripheral vision must have been one of the mentioned doors opening. A moment later, she had to squeeze her eyes shut at the sudden influx of light. Godric set her down gently, keeping his hands on her waist to stabilize her.

"Thank you," Liv murmured, blinking her eyes a few times against the dancing spots in her vision. "Are we already past all three doors?"

"Of course," Eric answered, somewhere to her right. "The doors will open and close more slowly if you're the one to activate the protocols. Still, don't dawdle."

"What happens if I'm not fast enough?" Liv asked nervously. "Will I be locked in there till one of you just happens to come by?"

"As amusing as that would be, no, you will always have the possibility to go back," Eric said and when she opened her eyes fully they were both looking at her, Eric with his customary smirk and Godric with an encouraging smile.

"Eric had to guess at the right timing, but he can adjust it if necessary," Godric offered softly. "You will be able to come and go at any time. This is not a prison."

"You're our first human guest down here so I might not have thought of everything yet," Eric added, but produced a flashlight from who-knows-where and demonstratively placed it next to the steel door.

"It doesn't look like a prison," Liv said, which was true enough, though if she thought too closely about all the security barriers that separated them from the outside world, it still felt a little like one. Or just a safe room for vampires, she reminded herself and banished her own unease as far as she could, looking around with new interest.

The space looked surprisingly airy for being underground and continued in the same minimalistic elegance as the upstairs, though Liv noted a few more hints of someone actually living here. The furniture could have come directly from the photospread of a luxurious bachelor's pad, black leather couches with steel-and-glass side tables, a huge flat screen and what looked like a very impressive sound system. And of course, there was the truly gigantic bed that dominated the room from a dais three steps up from the main floor, made up with black silk sheets and softly illuminated by a ring of light that seemed to come from beneath the platform.

Godric reached out and carefully tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "There's also a guestroom. We can sleep there if you would prefer it."

"Where do you want to sleep?" Liv asked, resisting the urge to lean into Godric's hand.

"Here, with Eric and with you," Godric replied immediately and Liv nodded her assent before continuing her inspection and wandering over to another long row of paintings and photographs that spanned the long side of the room, leading into a second and third row.

Instead of landscapes they showed Godric and Eric, over and over again, always together, side by side, wearing different clothes, in different contexts, with different hairstyles, but essentially unchanged. She breathed out in awe, her gaze flicking from one image to the next, trying to comprehend the sheer number of images. She had only a very vague idea of all the time periods that were represented and judging by the fact that black-and-white photographs, oil paintings, graphite drawings and color photographs were mixed together, she was fairly sure that the pictures were not displayed in any chronological order.

"I started this little project some time ago," Eric explained. "A picture of us every few decades or so. There are a few of Pam as well."

He pointed at one of the black-and-white photographs that might have been taken in the 1960s or there about, judging by the impressive beehive the woman in the photograph was sporting and her Jackie Kennedy dress. It was her first look at Eric's progeny. Pam's large eyes were looking directly at the camera, framed by heavy lashes, and her full lips were stretched into a perfect, pleased smile as if she and the tall vampire next to her were in on some joke the rest of the world could never understand. She seemed nice, which was probably the most surprising thing to Liv. On the phone, Pam had been efficient and straight to the point, her words interspersed with sarcastic comments and a kind of raunchy, morbid humor that had left her feeling unsettled at times. 'Nice' had not been her first impression, then.

"You'll get to meet her soon, but I should probably check that my bar is still standing before I take you there," Eric said. "On that note, I'll leave you two to settle in or… amuse yourselves in other ways."

She didn't have to see Eric's face to know he was smirking again, or probably leering or waggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Thank you, Eric."

A whoosh of air, and the steel door swung open again, closed barely a second later, and Eric was gone. Godric embraced her from behind, carefully pulling her against his body and she closed her eyes for a moment, just enjoying this unobtrusive, innocent intimacy, their shared closeness.


	15. The Vision

**15\. The Vision – Piano Concerto No. 2: After Lewis & Clark – Philip Glass**

Liv drew another intricate swirl on Godric's stomach, through the thin fabric of his pajama shirt, while she listened to his soft voice reading from one of the books the queen had given them. They had gone upstairs again so that Liv could gather some things for the night before taking separate showers in the thankfully fully equipped bathroom in Eric's bunker and getting ready for bed.

It had been Godric's suggestion to take a look at the information the queen had given them. To be honest, Liv still didn't feel quite ready, but she also realized that this was something she would have to deal with sooner rather than later and if so, she was glad to have Godric there to allay her fears with his reassuring presence and his soothing voice.

And the books coupled with the queen's notes very certainly illuminating. So far she had already learned that banshees were almost exclusively portrayed as benevolent spirits, that they would warn of death but never be the cause of it and that the descriptions of their scream and their outward appearances differed widely: from an ugly old hag with rotten teeth and a wrinkly face to a stately matron or an ethereally beautiful young woman with flowing long hair. Godric had been quick to assure her that she was clearly the latter.

"Sophie-Anne wrote a side note here," Godric remarked, his fingers briefly interrupting their gentle combing motion through her hair as he leafed to the next page. "Fairy heritage – shapeshifting – dimension travel. With a question mark."

"What do you suppose she means by that?" Liv asked, propping her chin on her arm and looking up at Godric.

"Fairies have a rather unique ability to travel between dimensional planes. In fact, they retreated from this world to their own parallel universe a very long time ago," Godric explained pensively. "That's why they're so rare nowadays and why Sophie-Anne is so excited that Miss Stackhouse might at least be part-fairy."

"So does she think I can travel to a different dimension as well?" Liv asked, thinking that it certainly wouldn't bode well for her if the queen had any hopes of using her as an interdimensional taxi.

Godric leaned over her and breathed a kiss against her forehead. "It might explain why banshees are thought of as spirits. You're not bound fully to this realm and through your visions you travel between life and death, free of the constraints of time and space."

Liv grimaced at how overly positive Godric had made that sound, but then asked, "And shapeshifting? Is that something fairies can do as well?"

"In a manner of speaking," Godric answered. "They cannot turn themselves into animals like werecreatures or true shapeshifters, but they appear in a shape and form that is considered appealing in their current dimension. Maybe banshees, maybe you, can do something similar by taking an appearance that best serves your purpose, either to warn of an imminent death or soothe those who are left behind."

"You mean like the descriptions of my scream, either a high-pitched screech or a beautiful melody," Liv concluded with a sigh. "I still don't know how any of this is going to help me control my curse, Godric."

Godric was quiet for a moment, absolutely still, even the gentle motion of his hand ceasing. Liv sighed again and wrapped herself more firmly around her vampire while she waited for him to come out of his mind.

"I'm afraid anything I could say now would sound like a platitude. The truth is I do not know how to help you," Godric offered, adjusting his arms around her and pulling her a little tighter. "Yet there's one thing I do know: Fighting against your nature, thinking of it as a curse you have to bear, will only harm you. These visions are a part of you and you'll have to accept them - just as I had to accept that I need to drink human blood to survive."

Liv took a deep breath and buried her nose against Godric's chest for a second before she looked up again. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be so negative. And I know you're right, of course you are, I just… I'm scared that if I don't fight it, if I… it won't be acceptance I slip into, it will be resignation and I can't allow myself to feel that way. I can't."

Godric carefully closed the book and dropped it over the edge of the bed before rolling Liv around and putting her in the shelter of his arms with the same deliberately slow motions. "We did enough reading for today, I think."

Liv breathed a sigh of relief and then asked playfully, "And now? What are you planning to do with me?"

A look of concern flashed over Godric's face and he shifted as if in preparation of a tactical retreat. Liv reached up and gently started running her hands up and down his sides while she waited for him to take note of her teasing tone.

"I'm planning on wooing you," Godric said finally, surprising her with how serious he sounded. "That is, I wish to ask if you would allow me to take you out on a date tomorrow night?"

"Definitely, yes, that sounds perfect," Liv replied, peering curiously up at him. "But Godric… I know I don't have a lot of experience, but this here –" she waved vaguely, trying to indicate the position Godric had maneuvered them into "- seemed to be going somewhere else."

"You were too far away and I wanted you to know that I'm here for you. Even if I don't have all the answers," Godric explained softly, carefully shifting his weight so that he came to lie next to her, propped on one elbow. "I didn't consider how suggestive our position would seem. I'm sorry."

"I wouldn't mind, you know? In fact, I think I'd really like to make some new experiences with you," Liv offered shyly.

"So would I," Godric admitted with a self-deprecating little smile and a delicate shake of his head. "But I want to do right by you, too. I want to take you to dinner, and bring you flowers, and tell you how beautiful you are. Anything less, and I would feel like a scoundrel, taking advantage of your affections."

A part of her itched to point out to Godric that she did not, in fact, require him to safeguard her virtue. But considering that she had been the one who had wanted to slow down and take the time to enjoy their courtship she decided that gratitude would be a better response. She turned on her side, pillowing her head in the crook of her arm and trailing the fingers of her free hand over Godric's shoulder.

"In that case I'm really looking forward to our first official date," Liv said, scooting a little closer.

"Is there anything in particular you would like to do?" Godric asked, also shifting nearer. "I have tickets for a concert by the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra, and dinner reservations in case you want to eat something afterwards. But if you -"

"That sounds perfect." Liv smiled, partly because of the words and partly because Godric had wrapped her in his arms again. "I love you."

She felt Godric press a kiss into her hair, heard the smile in his voice. "I will never get tired of hearing you say that, cridiíon imon."

"And I will never tire of saying it," Liv murmured her own promise, snuggling into Godric's chest and closing her eyes. She drifted off to sleep soon after, Godric acting as a very effective and surprisingly cuddly buffer against any unpleasant thoughts.

v---v

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" Godric asked, keeping more space between them than he had all night. "You don't owe me anything. I only want it if you're offering it for the right reasons."

"I am sure," Liv answered with a gentle roll of her eyes and dropped down on her bed, patting the covers next to her. "This is part of who you are and I want to share it with you. Please stop doubting yourself."

"I don't want to hurt you," Godric confessed, carefully sitting down next to her and taking her gloved hands into his.

Liv smiled. "And you won't. I know you will stop long before I need you to."

"That's not what I meant," Godric answered. "My intention would be to make it as pleasant, as pleasurable as I possibly can. But I will have to touch you…"

"… and I will have a vision," Liv concluded with a sigh. "I hadn't thought of that."

"It's not important," Godric assured her, pulling her against his side. "Let's just enjoy the rest of our date."

"It is to me," Liv argued, feeling her resolve harden. "There're so many things I can't do because of my… disposition, and I always told myself that it doesn't matter. But if that were true, why am I even bothering to try to find a way to control my visions?"

"You shouldn't force anything."

"I'm not. I'm trusting you, and I'm trusting myself. You won't hurt me and if I have a vision, I will be strong enough to deal with it," Liv argued. "I want to do this, Godric. I want to give you my blood."

Godric lifted her hands to his lips, kissing each of them in turn. "I was never in doubt of your strength, Liv."

She smiled gratefully before she asked, "So how are we going to do this?"

"Maybe you should change into something a little more comfortable," Godric suggested and pulled her to her feet. "I would not want to ruin your dress. Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?"

"Only about a dozen times." She laughed, hugging Godric tightly for a moment. "This really has been the perfect date. Thank you for everything."

"You're the one who made it perfect," Godric murmured with a shy smile. "I hope I will have the privilege again soon."

"Definitely," Liv promised, then quickly picked out a pajama set with a low-cut neckline and slipped into the bathroom to change out of the light-blue evening gown she had worn to their first official date.

It had truly been everything she could have wished for, with Godric bringing her flowers, showering her in compliments and all around treating her like a queen. They had enjoyed a truly fantastic concert with music from Glass, Mozart and Bach, taken a leisurely, romantic stroll along the Red River, and finally ended up having dinner at a charming little restaurant that had served her a variety of taster plates for traditional Cajun dishes. The concert had been amazing and the food had been delicious, but what stuck out more in her mind were the stories Godric had told her about his past, the warm laughter in his eyes, the tenderness with which he had held her hand. It had been perfect.

When she came back to the bedroom, only a few minutes later, Godric had magicked up a veritable buffet of snacks, from apple slices and a large peanut butter sandwich to a tall glass of orange juice.

"What's all this?" Liv asked, not sure if this great song and dance was really helping her nervousness, despite the sweetness of the gesture.

"In case you feel a little hungry or light-headed afterwards," Godric explained softly and held out his hand to her. "I can get you something else, though, if there is anything in particular you want?"

"You're sweet. Thank you," Liv said. "But I do wish you would stop worrying so much. I promise I'll be fine."

Godric inclined his head, though she knew him well enough to realize that it just wasn't in his nature to give up his concerns. It was kind of nice to know that they had that in common. Godric led her over to the bed, directing her wordlessly until she was lying on her back, her head resting comfortably on a mound of pillows.

"I will only take a few sips," Godric promised, close but still not in any position that Liv would deem suitable for the next bit. "And if you want me to stop, at any time, just say my name."

"Okay," Liv agreed, grasping Godric by the shoulder and doing her best to pull him close. "Now, I don't mean to sound impatient, but will you please just bite me?"

She heard the soft snick of Godric extending his fangs as his comfortable weight settled lightly over her body, his hands tracing along her sides in one slow, deliberate caress. Then she felt Godric place a feather-light kiss on her neck, something so soft and tender that she wondered if she had only imagined it. Godric's fangs pierced her skin before she could find an answer, a negligible pin-prick of pain and a nanosecond of fear, before peace washed over her, followed by a tingly wave of excitement, of sheer pleasure. Her eyes snapped open, though she couldn't remember when she had closed them.

"Liv?" Godric asked immediately, his lips still stained red with her blood though his teeth were already back to their human guise.

"Nothing," Liv whispered with a breathless laugh, cautiously putting her hand on Godric's cheek and then grinning even wider to mirror the jubilant smile that spread over the vampire's face. "Nothing."

Godric surged forward, sealing their lips together almost before she had finished the last syllable. His lips brushed against hers in a gentle caress, just a whisper of contact, a nip of blunt human teeth, a teasing flick of his tongue. It was so infinitely sweet and delicate, with just a hint of danger, the taste of her own blood. She felt light-headed with the heady joy of it all, with the freedom to press her lips up against his and brush her fingers over the smooth skin of his cheeks. It seemed entirely impossible that she had gone so long without this.

Eventually, Godric broke their kiss, which Liv commented with a breathless whine of protest. "Godric, no." She tried to pull him back down again, pushed up to claim his smiling lips in another kiss and Godric responded immediately, gently sucking on her bottom lip and caressing the sensitive skin of her neck with careful fingers, while she scritched her own fingers lightly over his scalp and played with the short strands of his hair.

And then the door was pushed open with enough force to bang against the wall as 200 pounds of vampiric buzzkill appeared in the middle of her bedroom. Liv squeaked, scrambling out from underneath Godric, relieved and yet disappointed when he gave her free immediately.

"Well, would you look at that?" Eric said relaxing with obvious amusement and ill-hidden suspicion, leaning casually against her dresser as if he intended to stay for a while and enjoy the show. "Oh, please don't stop on my account."

"Eric, what the… what are you doing here?" Liv demanded, swallowing a few choice words that had been on the tip of her tongue.

"I just thought you might need a hand." Eric smirked and allowed his gaze to linger on her chest. Liv crossed her arms defensively and cursed herself for having foregone a bra as a cold wave of embarrassment washed away even the last few vestiges of her earlier pleasure.

"You're making Liv uncomfortable, Eric," Godric chastised his progeny before blurring into movement and returning back to Liv only a second later with her dressing gown in hand.

Liv reached for it quickly and slipped it on, pulling it closed over her chest and crossing her arms again for good measure.

"He's here to protect you," Godric explained gently. "I'm sure he didn't mean to upset you."

"I don't think I needed protection," Liv said after a moment, leaving everything else – her anger, confusion and embarrassment - unsaid.

"Honest mistake," Eric answered, still with that insufferable grin that only dimmed slightly when Godric said his name again, a little more sharply this time.

"I fear this is my fault. I asked Eric to keep an ear out, in case I lost control. He must have misinterpreted what he heard," Godric said, opening his arms in invitation, but Liv just mutely shook her head.

"You really should pick a better safe word next time," Eric put in, finally deigning to explain himself. "You said 'Godric, no'; your heart was racing and I could feel Godric's excitement. It seemed a good idea to check up on you."

"I assure you my meaning was very clear to everyone actually involved," Liv gave back as evenly as possibly. "And I still don't see how Godric's excitement equals me being in danger."

"It's a very fine line between lust and **blood** lust, Liv," Eric answered with a pointed glance at her neck; when she reached up her fingers came back smeared in blood and she looked down at them in surprise.

"Will you allow me to heal that?" Godric asked carefully, reaching out to her again and pulling her into his arms when Liv gave a small, hesitant nod. "Just like last time, okay?"

Liv nodded again, though inside that was exactly what she was afraid of. She couldn't say how she knew or if it was just pessimism rearing its ugly head, but she was absolutely, horribly certain that as soon as Godric touched her she would be thrown into a vision and that her earlier reprieve would turn out to have been nothing more than a momentary, all-too-short fluke.

It was worse than that. Godric was gentle, as always, coating his fingertips with a drop of his own blood before he brushed them lightly against the bite mark on her neck - but she felt it flare with pain, spreading like wildfire to the rest of the bite marks on her body, on Godric's body, as his maker leered at them and tore their bodies apart from the inside out with a grin on his face; as their bodies swung helplessly back and forth, strung up like animal carcasses in a slaughter house, their feet sliding uselessly on the blood-slicked ground; as greedy hands roamed over their skin with possessive cruelty; as the blood flowed freely from their veins; she could hear it rushing past.

Water. Her mother. She came back to herself on the tail-end of a keening wail, her whole body wrecked with sobs and her hands shaking uncontrollably as she clawed for something to hold on to and found the smooth, hard edge of the bathtub. Cold water ran over her wrists and she started to notice the quiet murmur of voices, the repeated calls of her name and the hand rubbing her back.

"Don't touch me," she pleaded, jerking weakly away. "Please don't."

The hand disappeared immediately and it was a relief after what had been done to her body, at least in the abysses of her mind. She tried to listen to what they were saying, to their reassurances and soft reminders, but it only seemed to reinforce what she had just seen instead of letting it fade into the background.

"Talk about something else," she begged finally when she couldn't take it anymore. "Anything else."

There was a moment of silence and then Godric took up again, his voice soft and light as he recounted a continuation of a story he had told her at dinner: He and Eric during the Middle Ages playing the role of a knight and his squire and apparently getting up to quite a bit of mischief. There seemed to have been a lot of sword fights, gambling, trickery and daring escapes, merry chases, bards who sang of their bravery and damsels who all too frequently fainted into Eric's arms. Godric was probably glossing over a lot of the darker details, but it was light-hearted and happy and that was exactly what she needed at the moment.

"… of course that is when the husband came home," Godric was saying.

"Hardly worth mentioning," Eric jumped in. "A pipsqueak of a man, with bow legs and jug ears. No wonder the fair lady was open to better prospects."

"A pipsqueak with a very loud voice," Godric added and she could hear his amusement, his fondness, like a balm for her soul. "You had to flee through the window to escape his guards. You ended up in the castle moat and ruined your boots. It took decades for you to stop complaining about that."

"They were excellent boots," Eric said defensively. "And I never found a cobbler with the skill to replace them."

"You do have big feet," Liv mumbled, "Must be difficult to find shoes that fit you."

"There you have it. Liv understands me," Eric replied triumphantly. "Though Pam is an excellent personal shopper. She always knows just when to threaten the shop assistants."

"That sounds… helpful," Liv answered after a short hesitation and then uncurled enough to locate Godric and move into his arms.

Godric enclosed her immediately, pulling her into his lap and hugging her gently to his chest. "Are you feeling better, Liv?"

She nodded, breathing in Godric's familiar earthy smell and caressing over his back, sides and arms to reassure herself that the wounds she had seen and felt in her vision were a thing of the distant past. "Tell me that he's dead. That he won't ever hurt anyone like that again."

"He's dead, I promise. He won't ever hurt anyone again," Godric assured her, but then furrowed his brow. "Or at least that's what I thought. But you relived my pain."

It wasn't said as a question, but Liv nodded nonetheless, shook her head a moment later. "I know it wasn't real. It didn't happen to me. I just wish it had never happened to you either."

"My wounds healed a long time ago," Godric answered before gathering her closer. "Please tell me what I can do to help."

Liv sighed, resting her head back against Godric's shoulder. "This is good. Everything else will just take time… Why did you take me to the bathroom?"

"I heard you turn on the water when we were at the Hotel Carmilla," Eric explained and when she looked up he was just turning down the water and placing the shower head back in its holder. "I thought it might help you."

"It did," Liv agreed. "Thank you, Eric. And I'm sorry I was so ungrateful earlier. I know you meant well."

Eric shrugged eloquently before giving her a smile - a smile, not a smirk, not a grin. It seemed incongruous given his earlier hostility, but then, Liv was getting familiar with how his mind worked. Eric had burst into the room expecting to find Godric draining her and instead he had walked in on their impromptu make-out session – something that she had emphasized time and time again was not possible for her. And Eric, whose sense of loyalty was far more pronounced than his faith in people, had assumed that she had done something to trick Godric or that she had lied to them all along. It had taken this stark reminder of what these visions actually did to her for Eric to come back to his senses. Well, at least one good thing had come from all this.

"I think I'm going to bed," Liv murmured, reluctantly disentangling from Godric's hold only for him to help her to her feet a second later. "Thank you."

Godric smiled a little, then led her over to the wall of mirrors on the left while Eric quietly slipped out of the bathroom. The dark-haired vampire reached for a wash cloth and wet it in the sink before gently beginning to wipe at her neck.

"There's still a bit of blood there," he explained, surprising her by bringing the cloth to his lips and sucking on it. "I don't want to waste even a drop of it. It's far too precious a gift."

"Does it – I don't know – taste different?" Liv asked hesitantly.

"It does taste sweeter than any blood I've ever tasted," Godric answered softly. "It's difficult to describe in words, especially since you're not a vampire. But it tastes like… fresh spring water after months of having only stagnant, brackish swill. It tastes like you, and that makes it even more delicious."

"But it's not… addictive, is it?" Liv asked, a little nervously.

"No, it's not," Godric assured her with another sweet smile and Liv spotted a smear of red around the corner of his lips. "At least, not any more addictive than the rest of you, cridiíon imon."

Liv smiled back before taking the wash cloth from Godric's hand and carefully wiping at the smear of red. "Lipstick," she explained. "And it's not really your color."

"I was rather impetuous earlier," Godric replied, a hint of an apology in his voice.

"I think we both were," Liv pointed out. "It was… Even if it was just for a few moments – it was more than I had ever dared to hope for. Thank you, Godric."

"We'll make other moments like these. If that is something you're interested in," Godric promised.

"Yes, definitely. It's just… right now I have these images stuck in my head and I can't even think of kissing you without them flashing before my eyes… I need a little time."

"I understand, of course I do," Godric murmured, charily taking the wash cloth from her hand and putting it on the rack to dry. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Don't. Don't ever apologize for that. It wasn't your fault then and it certainly isn't your fault now," Liv said, wishing she could kiss the doubt from Godric's face, but not even feeling confident enough in her own skin to initiate another hug. Instead she sighed and tried herself on a smile. "Hey, you were the one who convinced me that I'm strong enough to handle this. Don't start doubting me now, okay?"

"I could never," Godric promised softly. "Let's go downstairs so that you can get some sleep… Liv, what is it?"

She must have tensed or inhaled too quickly or maybe her heart had given a jump and that had clued Godric in that there was a problem. But she didn't know how to say this in a way that wouldn't hurt his feelings. Perhaps it wasn't even necessary, she thought, only to break out into a cold sweat.

"I think I'd rather sleep up here tonight. Alone," she brought out, looking pleadingly at her vampire. "It's not that I don't want to go to sleep in your arms, but I just…"

"You need time," Godric finished for her, carefully rubbing her arms. "I don't need a justification. I just need to know that this is what's best for you."

Liv took a deep, shaky breath, letting the air escape slowly through her mouth, and gave a tentative nod. Godric smiled gently at her and offered to tidy up in the bedroom while she brushed her teeth and washed her face.

When she came back out, Godric had turned down the bed, cleared away the food and unpacked two more of her moving boxes. He had also made her a cup of lavender tea, wisps of condensating water rising from her favorite mug, and unearthed her family photos so that her aunts were smiling at her from the bedside table.

Godric readily opened his arms for her when she moved in for a hug. "You're amazing. Thank you."

"I am?" Godric asked and she could hear the fond bemusement in his voice.

"You are," Liv affirmed, pressing a kiss to Godric's shoulder before she drew back. "You'll stay with Eric, won't you?"

"Of course," Godric agreed, holding up the covers so that she could slip underneath. "Though you really do not need to worry about me."

"I won't worry if you're with Eric," Liv replied. "Good night, Godric."

"Good night, Liv. If you need me, just call," Godric said and in the next second he softly closed the door from the outside.

Liv smiled to herself and then reached for the tea, taking a careful sip of the still hot brew. She wasn't yet ready to go to sleep. There were too many thoughts running amok in her mind, the remnants of her vision crawling like bugs under her skin, and she knew that if she didn't at least make an effort to sort out her thoughts, her sleep would be anything but restful. She wanted to go to sleep with thoughts of Godric kissing her, his hands on her bare skin, her hands on his – not with the imagined horror of her vision.

It had felt too real, too immediate, but she clung to the knowledge that it hadn't happened to her, focused on how the aftershocks were already dimming, like the memory of a nightmare starting to fade as soon as you turned on the light. She remembered it, all the horrible details, but given enough time it would be stripped of its emotional, traumatizing weight, the personal impact on her. Just another shelf to add to her library of death.


	16. Mondscheinsonate

**16\. Mondscheinsonate – Nr. 14, Op. 27, Nr. 2 – Ludwig van Beethoven**

Liv was loading her dirty dishes into the dishwasher, pleasantly full after having tried some of the food Godric had prepared for her for dinner. There had been a casserole dish with vegetables and meat and an unusual combination of spices that had reminded her of the scents described in _One Thousand and One Nights_ , as well as a small bowl of tomato soup and a colorful fruit salad. It had all been delicious and all lovingly arranged into little portion sizes and labelled in Godric's fine handwriting. For their next date Liv would suggest staying in for dinner because it seemed a pity that Godric had spent so much care preparing food for her and then wasn't even there to see how much she enjoyed it. Speaking of which… someone softly cleared their throat behind her.

"Good evening, Liv," Godric greeted her when she turned around, offering her a hopeful little smile. "Are you feeling better?"

"First of all, your food is delicious. Thank you for doing all this for me," Liv said, moving towards him and into his arms. "And yes, I feel much better. I actually dreamt about you. We were floating over a lake with the stars reflecting on its surface and I wasn't even a little bit nervous because I knew that you were keeping me safe. It was wonderful."

"Oh, Liv, you don't have to speak in code for me. We're all adults here," Eric commented as he appeared in the kitchen and grinned at her.

"You were speaking in code?" Godric asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"No, I was not," Liv said before turning to Eric with a glare. "Thank you so much, Eric."

"You're welcome," Eric replied, clearly amused, and then picked up the newspaper that Liv had brought in from the mailbox, sitting down at the table and kicking out his feet.

"I'm glad that you had a nice dream," Godric said, tracing his hand up and down her spine as he pulled her back into his arms. "You seem content."

"I had a good day," Liv answered, resting her head against Godric's shoulder, against the soft grey cotton of his shirt, and just enjoying the feeling of being held for a moment. It was true that she was feeling content, settled, accomplished. The aftereffects of her vison had faded overnight and this morning she had awoken with memories of Godric kissing her, giving her a surplus of optimism and motivation to face her day. She had unpacked the rest of her moving boxes, done a load of laundry, gone grocery shopping for a few essentials Pam had forgotten in her shopping spree, called her aunts, and talked to a former colleague about possible job prospects, which was another reason why she was in a good mood.

She pressed a kiss to Godric's shoulder before she pulled back so she wouldn't muffle her own words. "I have a job interview tomorrow. Or more like a trial day at one of the free clinics. I don't know if it's a job I can do because there'll probably be a lot more patient contact than I'm used to and it doesn't actually pay anything…"

"But you would have a chance to help others again and you miss your work," Godric interrupted her, smiling gently at her. "This is a good thing. I'm happy for you."

"I know," Liv agreed with an answering smile, grateful that Godric had stopped her from talking herself out of this opportunity. "And the chief of staff said they have good connections to the University Hospital so I might be able to apply for a job there as soon as they have an opening."

"I'd be happy to waive your rent so that you need not worry about the financial aspects of your work opportunities," Eric butted in, looking up from what seemed to be the sports section of the paper.

Liv quickly shook her head, not wanting to start that discussion again. "Thank you, but you're being more than generous already. Or do you think I don't realize that the rent you set is barely enough to cover the utilities?"

Eric lifted his broad shoulders in a dismissive shrug. "I'm not letting you pay more."

"And I'm not letting you charge me less," Liv gave back, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I think you both made your positions clear," Godric intervened gently, feathering his hand over her back and sending Eric one of those indecipherable looks.

"Sorry," Liv murmured, allowing Godric to steer her into a seat but then getting up again when he seemed to have trouble operating the coffee machine, carefully nudging him aside.

A few minutes later, they were all sitting around the kitchen table – Liv with a cup of coffee, Godric with a bottle of Tru Blood that he hadn't actually touched yet and Eric with a sleek silver laptop that must have had a reinforced keyboard to withstand the speed at which he was typing. Godric's knee was lightly pressing against hers under the table and she smiled to herself when he caught her swinging foot between his legs.

He smile got even wider when she glanced at the flowers Godric had brought her the night before, sitting on the counter in a vase that was probably an antique, but which Godric had insisted was fine to use. They still looked beautiful and cheerful, a sweet reminder of Godric and their date.

"So," Eric broke the companionable silence, minimizing the spreadsheet he had been working on and shutting his laptop, and turned to look expectantly at Liv. "What happened last night?"

She mutely shook her head, closing her hands more firmly around the coffee cup.

"She doesn't owe us an explanation," Godric admonished Eric, but Liv shook her head again.

"It's not that. I just don't have one. I tried to figure it out, why I didn't have a vision after you bit me, but I still don't understand. And to be honest, I wasn't really focused on the why or how while we were kissing…"

"Of course you weren't," Godric said and his smile looked a little smug.

"You're impossible," Liv declared with a fond shake of her head, but cracked a smile when Godric only grinned wider. "And an amazing kisser, but that's beside the point unless magic kisses are a secret vampire power I haven't heard of yet."

"As fun as that would be, I'd hazard it has more to do with Godric's bite and your blood," Eric commented dryly, looking between them. "Maybe having Liv's blood made you immune to her abilities. At least temporarily."

Godric nodded pensively, but Liv knew that wasn't it, admitting in a quiet voice, "When Stan bit me he took a lot more blood than you. And I still saw his death."

Godric's arms were around her a blink of an eye later, enclosing her in a wall of safety and offering her the support she hadn't known to ask for. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to pull in some of the perfect calm Godric exuded. Magic blood sucking or magic kisses aside, this was Godric's true superpower. She mumbled something along those lines against his chest, though she wasn't sure that it made any sense, taken out of the context of her mind. Godric's laugh reverberated softly in his chest, against her cheek, and she felt him run his fingers gently through her hair, combing out a few tangles.

"Do you think the queen might have an explanation?" Liv finally asked, drawing back regretfully.

"I will ask her at our next meeting," Eric promised, reaching for Godric's Tru Blood and taking a large sip.

"Or I could call her," Liv suggested.

"You'd need her phone number first," Eric pointed out dryly. "She prefers to summon her subjects for personal audiences or to keep them waiting indefinitely, as desired."

"Oh. Well, she wrote it on the card for the present she gave me," Liv said, startling a little at suddenly having both vampires intensely focused on her.

"What present?"

"You have her number?" Godric and Eric demanded at the same time.

"She left a DVD for me outside our rooms in New Orleans," Liv explained carefully. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"I don't know what a 'deeveedee' is," Godric admitted.

"A DVD is a disc for storing information, in this case a horror movie. _Scream of the Banshee_ , I guess she thought that was somehow funny," Liv explained with an unamused twist of her mouth. "She also wrote that I could call her if I didn't want to watch it alone."

"You must have made quite an impression on her," Eric remarked after a short moment of silence.

Personally, Liv thought that the queen merely found her an amusing or at best interesting diversion from her immortal ennui, but she kept that to herself, instead turning back to Godric.

"You should call her. She might have some of the answers we're looking for," he said before adding with a shy, half-embarrassed smile, "But if you want to watch a movie, I would prefer it if you asked me to keep you company."

"Always," Liv promised, kissing Godric's shoulder as she stood up to get her phone from where she had left it on the counter, calling up the queen's contact on her way back to her seat.

The phone rang three times before the line was picked up. "Yahtzee!"

Liv held the phone away from her ear in irritation. "Your majesty? This is Liv Halloran. Am I calling at a bad time?"

"Well, that depends entirely on why you're calling, doesn't it, Liv Halloran?" the queen replied breezily. "Did you like my present?"

"I don't think it's a movie I will enjoy," Liv replied after a short hesitation. "But I appreciated the thought. Thank you."

The queen sighed dramatically into the phone. "You should work on your sense of self-irony. I abhor people who take themselves too seriously. So boring and predictable."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to work on my sense of self before I get started on the irony bit," Liv said, earning herself a tinkling laugh from the queen. "Regarding that, I was wondering if I could ask your opinion on something that happened last night. If you have a moment?"

"You will have to be rather more forthcoming with the details if you wish to rouse my interest," the queen pointed out before snapping at someone for trying to pass her over in their game of dice.

Godric gave her an encouraging nod, keeping a careful hold of her arm as she did her best to paint an accurate and concise picture of the events of the night before, trying very hard not to be discouraged by the sounds of rolling dice she could still hear over the phone.

"… and when Godric touched me again a few minutes later, I had a vision, just like always," Liv concluded. "You seem to be the only one who knows anything about this, about me…"

The queen puffed out a loud, unnecessary breath, but then answered, "This was the first time Godric fed from you, wasn't it? Oh, don't lie. We both know you're terrible at it."

"Yes, it was," Liv admitted after exchanging a quick look with Godric. "Is that relevant?"

"It is if you were in a heightened emotional state: excitement, lust, curiosity," Sophie-Anne replied, followed by a command to someone on her side of the line to leave. "Or of course, fear, which seems to be the most likely option in your case."

Liv shook her head, quickly snagging Godric's elbow before he could pull back. "I have never been scared of Godric. Not even for a second."

"Then you're either naïve or lying to yourself," the queen answered dismissively. "He's a predator, just like the rest of us, and you're our prey. You would do well to be afraid. Or did you not learn that lesson when you were attacked by one of Godric's own underlings in his own home?"

"Bill seems to have failed to mention that Godric protected me from Stan," Liv retorted, her thumb hovering over the button to end the call. "I don't mean to be rude, but maybe you don't know Godric as well as you think if you believe that he would ever hurt me. I wasn't afraid of him."

"So very touching, yet completely beside the point," Sophie-Anne drawled. "Do you know why I told you to practice your scream? Because you do not need to master your fear to master your voice. I trust you feel in control of your vocal cords at least."

Right then, Liv wasn't so sure about that, but she still made a small affirmative noise before she asked, "Your majesty, I still don't understand why you think I was afraid – or what that has to do with me not having a vision."

The queen made another half-amused, half-derisive noise. "You can deny it of course, but your body doesn't lie. You don't just dislike using your abilities; you're scared out of your mind at even the thought of having a vision and so of course your fear becomes reality and reality reinforces your fear. It's your basic vicious cycle. But last night, you were focused on other matters, weren't you? For instance, on the fact that Godric is indeed a vampire and was about to suck the blood from your veins. How curious to find that you can fight fear with fear after all. But just imagine the possibilities, the potential if you were to cast off your armor of fear altogether…"

Liv had curled her fingers around Godric's arm and was holding on with all her strength. She couldn't have come up with a response if her life had depended on it. Thankfully, the queen didn't seem to require her input, extrapolating a little more on her theory, cross-referencing several schools of thought and seasoning everything with increasingly abstract wisdoms. It didn't matter to Liv, though. Even if the queen had revealed the mysteries of the universe, it still would have sounded like white noise to her.

Godric turned his arm in her grip, not to free himself but so that he could return her hold. He lightly squeezed her elbow and Liv sucked in a desperate lungful of air. She couldn't remember when she had stopped breathing. Probably around the time the queen had suggested that she was constantly afraid, even when she thought herself in control.

"Your majesty," Liv interrupted the queen's monologue. "I'm going to need a minute – or more like an hour – to wrap my head around all of this. But thank you. For what it's worth, I truly hope that you can find a way to prevent your death."

"Well, we're in agreement about that," Sophie-Anne replied tartly. "Tell your boys they had better not forget their tasks over this delightful diversion you're presenting. Hadley will call you tomorrow."

She hung up before Liv could say anything in reply, not even leaving time for a proper goodbye.

"I think I missed something. Why is Hadley going to call me?" she asked, easing up on her tight grip on Godric's arm and rubbing it in apology. "Sorry."

Godric smiled at her as Eric answered. "Apparently Hadley is having some trouble convincing her cousin that Bill Compton is not to be trusted. The queen is hoping that you might be able to help – in return for her advice tonight."

They looked unhappy about the queen's demand, but to Liv it seemed a very small price to pay for helping her to see at least a little bit clearer. After all, she didn't have to like or agree with everything the queen had said to appreciate her honesty and allow that there might be some truth to her theories.

"Was she right?" she still asked, not sure she even wanted to know the answer. "Was I scared last night?"

"I would not have bitten you if I thought you were scared," Godric replied immediately. "Sophie-Anne knows a lot, but she does not know you. She does not know how strong you are and she does not know your fear."

"Eric thought I was afraid," Liv pointed out, turning to the tall vampire.

"I only had your heartbeat to go on, listening to it from across the house. As I said, it was an honest mistake," Eric replied dismissively.

"Your heart is very… responsive to your emotions," Godric tried to explain, gently resting his hand on her chest. "When you're upset or scared or happy it starts to race, the blood flowing more quickly through your veins. It goes so fast it worries me, sometimes."

"You said so before," Liv remembered and then sighed before admitting softly, "I don't think I was scared yesterday… but I was nervous that my blood would be different, that it would affect you differently. I didn't want you to get hurt… and I didn't want you to look at me like I was food, like Stan did. I'm sorry."

"Oh, Liv, no," Godric sighed, moving to stand next to her chair and wrapping his arms loosely around her. "I was worried about that too."

"And you both worried needlessly," Eric pointed out, rolling his eyes at their display of affection and taking another sip of Tru Blood.

"At least I wasn't thinking about having a vision," Liv replied; not that time, though she also remembered how she had known – had been convinced – that she would have a vision when Godric had asked to heal her bite mark. She sighed, lifting her shoulders in a shrug when Godric met her gaze with warm, curious eyes. "What she said does make sense to me even if I don't like the thought that I'm sabotaging myself, that I could avoid these visions if only I was a little stronger."

Godric leaned over her and breathed a kiss into her hair, smoothing his fingers through the long, dark strands as he drew back. "You're the strongest woman I have ever met, Liv. But I also understand how much these visions hurt you, how every time someone touched you, every time you made skin contact with another living thing you were put through the ordeal of their deaths. Every time. It's only natural that you would learn to brace yourself for the next strike."

Liv sighed and wrapped her arms around Godric's middle, feeling the reassuring, unblemished smoothness of his muscles underneath the thin fabric of his shirt. "It's not the same. It's all in my mind, nothing anyone is doing to me."

"It didn't seem like 'nothing' last night. It didn't seem like just another vision," Eric pointed out, surprising her with the hint of censure in his voice. "You shouldn't dismiss it so lightly. Godric was worried about you."

"I'm sorry I upset you," Liv said, addressing both of them though Eric had as always been careful to talk around his own feelings. "And I'm not brushing this off, but I know why my vision felt so much more personal last night. It actually wasn't the first time that happened. I slipped up a couple of years ago, touched Beth by accident. It was… bad. I was in a coma for about a week."

It had been closer to two weeks and they had had to resuscitate her on the way to the hospital. She was fuzzy on the details, which was probably a blessing, but whatever brief skin contact she had had with her aunt had been enough to send her down a spiral of death and keep her spiraling for a dozen days. She avoided thinking about the other time she had ended up in the hospital.

Godric rubbed her shoulder soothingly. "Beth is human, though. I'm not."

She laughed despite the seriousness of their conversation. "I know you're not. I might need a bit more convincing that you're immortal, but I know you're not human. It's not about that. I love you. And I love my aunts. It was worse because I feel a stronger connection to you.

"And I wouldn't want to change that, even if I could," Liv murmured, trying to stave off the guilt that was surely crawling up Godric's spine, forcing it into rigid, inhuman stillness. "And whatever you're thinking of doing, I can tell you right now it's probably not your decision to make. I love you and I don't need you to protect me from that. Are we clear?"

"I wouldn't dare to disagree," Godric replied with an amused little smile and his posture relaxed again, at least marginally, as he sat back down and pushed Liv's by now only lukewarm coffee back in her direction. "Eric and I swam across the Channel once, from Normandy, France, to England."

"Okay," Liv said, drawing the word out to show that she wasn't sure what to make of this non-sequitur.

"It was after the thaw, maybe February or March," Godric continued, looking to Eric for confirmation. "The Strait of Dover was too busy even then so we took a longer route, about 50 miles I think."

"We also climbed the Mont Blanc," Eric added helpfully, though Liv still didn't see why they were telling her this. "It's the highest peak in Central Europe and it has one of the highest fatality rates of any mountain. Great view, though."

"We don't age. We don't get sick. We've been shot, stabbed, burned, hanged, poisoned," Godric continued softly. "We're still here. Still alive, in a manner of speaking. What else can I do to convince you?"

Liv swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat, resting her hand lightly on Godric's forearm. "I saw you die, Godric. I saw you meet the sun and…" His body bursting into greenish-blue flames, disintegrating before her eyes and within just a few heartbeats he was gone. She closed her eyes for a moment. "Being immortal doesn't mean you can't die and I just…"

She trailed off helplessly, wishing she could take a moment to rein in those horrible memories without hurting Godric. That she could put into words how she didn't want to see Godric's death ever again, but how she needed to see it in a vision before it could happen in reality.

"I understand," it was Eric, who said it, surprising her with his unexpected support and the large hand he placed briefly on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze before pulling back. "But I will let you know immediately if I even suspect that Godric might be considering such a step again. You have my word."

"Thank you," Liv murmured, actually feeling a little better, especially for everything Eric hadn't said, that she wasn't in this alone, that they would both look out for Godric, that they would fight with everything they had to keep him safe.

"I never meant to hurt either of you," Godric said in a soft, subdued voice. "I'm sorry I was so selfish."

"You weren't selfish. You were depressed," Liv corrected, slipping into Godric's lap and slinging her arms around his neck. "And it's okay to feel that way. It doesn't make you weak or a bad person. You just have to remember that we're here for you, okay?"

"I want to help you," Godric protested, but held her a little tighter, lightly tracing his hand over the dip of her waist.

"You are," Liv replied softly. "I don't want Eric to start rolling his eyes again, but you must know that this means the world to me. You listening to me, being patient and supportive. That's more than enough."

"It's not a hardship," Godric said as Eric rolled his eyes, maybe just to spite her.

"Thank you." Liv smiled, blowing a kiss against Godric's cheek. "You know, I wish there was someone who had all the answers, but finding them by trial and error with you is the next best thing."

"Is there something you wish to try?" Godric asked carefully after they had sat for a moment in silence, his hand gliding up and down her spine in a soothing, almost hypnotic rhythm. She thought she could sit like this for the rest of the night, with her head resting comfortably on Godric's strong shoulder, and be happy.

"I guess I should try to practice my scream," Liv murmured, then sighed. "And I want to learn to be less afraid of my visions, to not see them as a curse. But it's like you said: if I know someone is going to touch me, I try to brace myself, I tense up and I don't know how to turn that off. It might almost be better if I didn't have that pre-warning."

"I do not want to touch you without your consent," Godric insisted, his brow furrowed in consternation at her careful suggestion. "You deserve to feel safe without having to worry that I might sneak up on you. Please don't ask that of me."

Liv nodded and murmured a soft agreement, ready to dismiss the idea and hopefully come up with a solution that didn't make Godric (or if she was honest, herself) uncomfortable.

"I could do it," Eric offered, sending her a tooth-baring smirk when she startled in his direction. "I'd be happy to sneak up on you, to help you overcome your fear, of course."

"Of course," Liv muttered, trying for sarcastic but probably missing the mark. Godric was already looking at her when she twisted back to face him, his eyes kind but unreadable. It was her decision. She turned back to Eric. "Okay."

"So I have your permission?" Eric clarified.

"You'll try not to give me a heart attack, right?" Liv asked back, continuing when Eric gave her another smirk and a nod. "Then, yes. I would like to try at least."

Godric pressed a silent kiss into her hair and held her just a smidgeon tighter. It made her feel sure in her decision, sure of herself, and it was good to have a plan, any plan, to feel like she was actively doing something to improve her situation instead of just passively accepting her lot in life. She didn't know how to be less afraid, less defensive about her visions, but maybe she could at least stop herself from thinking about them so much and worrying herself into a panic. And in doing so, she might even learn to trust in the immortality of vampires and find a way to be able to touch Godric without having a vision. There was that hope at least.


	17. Danse Macabre

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Good evening! Just as a quick aside, Bubba is not an original character, but a character from the novel series who sadly did not make it into the TV show. Such a shame, he would have been a lovely addition, I think._

**17\. Danse Macabre – Op. 40 - Camille Saint-Saëns**

Pam was everything Liv had expected, only with a lot more bite and even less tolerance for anyone's bullshit. When they arrived at Fangtasia, Pam was just depositing a former patron of the bar outside on the curb, the man's mostly unconscious form propped negligently against a dumpster, and every alarm bell in Liv's mind went off.

"You can't leave him like that," Liv protested, already getting out of the car.

"I could put him in the dumpster if you disapprove of littering," Pam offered indifferently, flicking a curl of ash blond hair over her shoulder.

"If you leave him like this he might choke on his own vomit, become hypothermic or hypoglycemic or stop breathing," Liv explained, trying to rouse the man by shaking his shoulder, but receiving almost no response; she moved him into the recovery position instead.

"Fascinating," Pam drawled. "Shall we then?"

"Did he come here with anyone?" Liv asked, wishing her gloves were not still in her purse in Eric's car so that she could check the man's pulse and pupils. "How much did he have to drink? How long has he been like this?"

"Do I look like a fucking babysitter?" Pam demanded, cocking her hip in her BDSM-Barbie outfit.

"No," Liv admitted before turning back to her patient. "But I'm a fucking nurse and I would appreciate your fucking help. Please."

"I didn't know you used curse words," Godric murmured, crouching down next to her.

Liv shrugged lightly. "I do when I'm upset. Could you please check his pulse?"

"It's normal," Godric replied immediately, not even shifting his position. "There's alcohol in his blood, but not so much as to be worrisome."

"He's not waking up and his breathing is too slow," Liv argued, trying once again to rouse the man with no success. "These are signs of alcohol poisoning. He needs to be in a hospital. I'm calling 9-1-1."

"Oh for fuck's sake," Pam said, stalking over and grasping the man by his lapels with no regard for anyone else in the vicinity. "Allow me."

Liv was still trying to find her balance, Godric stabilizing her with a careful hand on her back, when Pam administered a series of precise slaps that rang out sharply and caused the guy's head to swing from side to side like a piñata. He came awake with a spluttered, incomprehensible exclamation, then promptly bent over to throw up, which prompted Godric to swivel her away to a safe distance. When she had gotten her bearings again, the man was back on the ground, looking balefully down on his soiled shirt.

"There you go. Good as new," Pam proclaimed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to wash the stink off of me."

"Don't pout. Next time don't let them drink so much," Eric admonished her lightly, but held the door for her so she could strut past, the rest of their conversation happening within the framework of speaking looks, micro-expressions or maybe telepathy as they disappeared inside. Liv wasn't sure, but she could guess that Pam was not too impressed by their first meeting.

She gently shrugged off Godric's hand, approaching the drunken stranger again. He was younger than she had thought at first, in his early or mid-twenties, with a rounded face, buzzed hair and dark skin. And he was clearly still three sheets to the wind.

"Hey," Liv said rather loudly, reaching for the man's shoulder to get his attention. "How are you feeling?"

"Sick." He moaned piteously, tilting slightly towards her. She gritted her teeth against the instinct to draw back.

"I can imagine. Can you tell me your name?" Liv asked, counting his breaths and noting with relief that the rhythm had picked up with his return to consciousness.

"Matt, 's Matt."

"That's good. Is there someone I can call for you, Matt?" Liv asked. "Someone who can stay with you until you're feeling better?"

He mumbled something that only vaguely resembled words, descending into a heated, if indistinguishable monologue. Godric lightly shook his head when she turned to him for help so apparently Matt's speech was incomprehensible even to vampire hearing. Losing patience herself, she carefully started to pat down Matt's shirt and pants for a wallet or phone, keeping up a running commentary that went completely ignored. She finally came up with his cellphone, thankfully unlocked, and just called the last number that had been dialed.

"It's ringing inside," Godric commented. He was gone and back again before she could do more than blink in surprise, accompanied on his return by a befuddled looking young woman with a ringing phone in her hand.

"What…?"

"You must be Melanie," Liv said, cancelling the call after a quick look at the caller ID. "I'm Liv. This is Godric. And I'm sorry about the interruption, but Matt here had a little too much to drink and he needs someone to take him home."

"Matt, but… Oh, gosh, Matt, are you okay?" Melanie seemed to grasp the crux of the situation admirably quickly, taking Matt by the chin and turning his head in her direction.

"I don't feel so good, Mel," Matt bemoaned, though Liv was glad to see that he was at least coherent enough to recognize his friend. "I'm gonna throw up."

"You already did that," Godric observed. "Maybe you shouldn't drink so much."

"He had a rough night, just broke up with his girlfriend," Mel replied absently, doing her best to sling Matt's arm across her shoulders so she could help him walk. "Come on, don't make me do all the work."

"Fucking Lindsay," Matt offered his contribution, tipping dangerously close to the ground before Godric stepped in to support his other side.

"Do you have a car?" Liv wanted to know. "Are you safe to drive?"

"It's just around the corner. I'm the designated driver," Mel replied, steering their little group in the right direction. "I thought going to a bar, having some fun, would get his mind off of her, you know? Guess I was wrong. That's my car. Can you get the keys from my purse? Outside pocket."

Liv readily did so, unlocking the car and opening the door to the backseat so that Godric, with a little help from Mel and even less help from Matt, could maneuver her patient into the car. While Mel did her best to make Matt comfortable and ready for transport, Liv quickly saved some additional numbers on Matt's phone and then slipped it into Mel's purse.

"Well, thanks again," Mel said, taking her purse and keys from Liv. "I'd better get him home now before he throws up in my car."

"You should stay with him tonight," Liv stopped her before the other girl could get into the car. "He'll probably want to sleep, which is fine, but you need to monitor his breathing and check on him regularly to make sure he's still responsive. If his condition worsens you need to take him to the ER. Can you do that?"

"He's my little brother," Mel replied with a tired smile. "I changed his diapers. I think I can handle this as well."

"Okay, try to get him to drink something – not coffee - and keep him warm," Liv said and though she didn't doubt Mel's commitment to her brother or even her competence, she was still a little reluctant to release Matt into the hands of a non-professional. "You can call the Poison Control hotline if you're unsure. I programmed the number into Matt's phone."

Mel nodded, thanking them again and then got into the car, pulling off into the empty road after making sure that her brother was settled safely in the backseat. Godric slipped his arm around Liv's waist, gently turning her around.

"He's fine, I promise. Steady heartbeat, steady breathing, steady body temperature," Godric said, accompanying his words with a careful squeeze.

"I'm sorry. I know this isn't how you planned our evening," Liv replied softly.

Godric lifted his shoulder in a minute shrug and gave her another smile. "My plan for the evening is to spend it with you and we're doing exactly that."

"Eric and Pam didn't seem happy," Liv said, though she couldn't quite help the smile that Godric's words brought to her lips. "I shouldn't have snapped at her."

"Pam has a rather low threshold for things that annoy her, but then again, her annoyance never lasts very long either," Godric commented lightly, then continued with a sly grin, "Besides, I found this assertive side of you quite… sexy."

She had to laugh. Godric used the expression like it was the word-of-the-day, two parts proud that he was expanding on his vocabulary, one part still a little unsure if he was using the word correctly. It was absolutely endearing. She slung her arms around Godric's middle and tucked her face briefly against his chest.

"I don't know about that, but I know that I find you incredibly sexy when you say stuff like that."

They were still grinning at each like loons when they reached the bar again. Godric held the back door open for her and ushered her into the music-shrouded interior, through a narrow, red-walled corridor with closed doors on either side that were all marked as "Private – Enter at your own peril". Liv wondered if all customers understood that as a warning or if maybe some of them took it as an incentive. In her experience, people did not always have the best judgement, especially when they had a bit too much liquid courage in their bloodstream.

"This is Eric's office," Godric said as quietly as he could, given the elevated noise level and Liv's only human hearing. "You can come in here if you need a quiet place. Eric won't mind."

"Thanks," Liv murmured, making a quick note of the door Godric had indicated and then stopped abruptly when they reached the main floor of the bar, startled by how many people – humans – were crowded there.

Somehow - and maybe that had been silly - Liv hadn't imagined that when Godric had told her that Eric ran a vampire bar in Shreveport it would be exactly that. She had assumed that Fangtasia was at best a front for the night-to-night vampire business of Eric's area. At worst, she had thought it might be a convenient way for vampires to find a midnight snack. She hadn't expected that it was in all actuality a bar, vampire-themed to be sure, but actually tailored more to its human clientele, with signs advertising 34 different types of beer and a built-in gift shop, than to the few vampires that decorated the bar like sprinkles on ice cream. It was a bit like walking into a running gag about vampires and if she had known how to pose the question in a polite way, she would have asked if this wasn't rather offensive to vampires. Godric didn't seem to mind though and Eric was clearly the king of this little fantasy world. He had his own throne. Of course.

There was a smaller chair next to him that Godric led her to before he took up position behind her, mirroring Pam, who had assumed almost the same stance behind Eric's chair. The set-up seemed a little awkward to her, but Godric's hand resting with gentle pressure on her shoulder convinced her to stay put. She had probably caused enough trouble for one night, anyway. When Eric had invited them to Fangtasia it had been accompanied by a not so subtle reminder to Liv that under no circumstances was she to undermine Eric's or Godric's authority in public or within vampire hearing range. It had seemed so self-evident at home that she had hardly taken note of it – and then had promptly forgotten when they had arrived and she had seen someone in need of help.

Eric turned to Godric, asking him something that was too low for her to understand, and the older vampire answered in the same manner. Pam laughed and then joined their conversation without Liv being any the wiser. She wasn't upset, though. In truth she found it relaxing to just sit here with Godric lightly massaging her shoulders, part of their little circle but with no expectation of an active participation. She could let her mind and gaze wander, take in the bar and its patrons.

The color scheme was very traditional black and red, with small circular tables and high bar stools, a pole dancing stage in the middle, a curved sofa in black leather optic to one side and dim, reddish lights illuminating everything. The majority of the patrons had opted for black outfits, complemented by dog collars, leather and chains, skin-tight clothes and a lot of bare skin. Earlier, when she had asked Eric what she should wear, she had thought his answer of "something black" less than helpful, but now it seemed that it had actually been good advice. At least she didn't stand out horribly in her own clothes, a pair of form-fitting dark-wash jeans and a see-through black chiffon blouse that she had pulled over a short black lace top. The fact that Godric had stared at her quasi-bare midriff for a full twenty seconds had been a very nice bonus.

Godric lightly squeezed her shoulders to get her attention. "Would you like to have something to drink, Liv?"

"Yes, please," Liv said, wetting her dry lips and smiling up at him. Godric returned the smile and then disappeared to the bar, leaving her alone with Eric and Pam, who turned to her with matching predatory grins.

Liv nervously cleared her throat, just stopping herself from fidgeting in her seat. "It's nice to meet you in person, Pam. I'm sorry if I offended you earlier."

"Aren't you just a peach," Pam drawled and though it was said mockingly, Liv relaxed as those were the exact same words Pam had used over the phone when Liv had asked her to watch out for Eric. "I'm beginning to see why Godric's so attached to you. You look like an appetizer."

"Thanks?" Liv replied uncertainly. "You look nice too. And wow, you must've had a lot of practice to be able to walk in those heels."

"Do you like them?" Pam asked, swinging up her leg and placing her high-heeled pump on the armrest of Liv's chair. Up close, the black patent leather pumps with the twelve-inch heels and shiny silver spikes decorating the heel and the delicate strap around Pam's ankle looked even more fear-imposing. "Eric bought them for me. He still owed me a pair."

"They look fantastic and I doubt anyone could wear them with as much aplomb as you do," Liv replied sincerely before turning towards Godric when he appeared back at her side and offered her a drink. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Godric answered, then grabbed Pam's ankle and very firmly removed it from Liv's vicinity. "Please keep your legs to yourself, Pam. Liv is mine."

Liv hid her smile by taking a sip of the fruity, alcohol-free cocktail Godric had handed her, secretly a little pleased to see him display even a hint of jealously.

"Something that bears repeating, I believe," Eric said, fluidly rising from his throne. "In my office now."

He hadn't raised his voice, but apparently that wasn't necessary for his underlings to receive the message. There was a sudden disturbance in the room, blurring streaks of speeding vampires and the ripple effects of confused humans and spilled drinks. Pam and Eric were gone in the next second.

"Do you want me to wait here?" Liv asked softly, following Godric's lead when he gently shook his head and tugged her up by the elbow.

"I want you by my side," Godric replied, giving her a sweet smile. "I hope you weren't too bored earlier."

"I didn't mind," Liv assured him, slipping her arm around Godric's waist as he put his across her shoulders and steered her back towards Eric's office. "This is an interesting place."

Godric laughed, easily maneuvering her past a kissing couple that was blocking the better half of the corridor. "Eric's an interesting man."

Liv flashed him a grin but then tuned down her amusement as they reached Eric's office. It was already packed with a host of vampires, who for all that they were dressed almost exclusively in black, were more colorful than Liv had expected. She saw piercing blue eyes, hair dipped in red, purple lipstick, lime-green nail polish and a man wearing a garish Hawaiian shirt who looked very familiar.

"Are you…?" she blurted out before she could think better of it, but broke off when Eric was suddenly right next to her and Godric squeezed her waist in warning.

"This is Bubba," Eric said, sending her a significant look. "He'll be visiting my area for the next few weeks."

"It's nice to meet all of you," Liv said still a little weekly, smiling in greeting at the gathered vampires and trying not to stare at Bubba, who gave her a jolly wave. He seemed very genial for a vampire.

"Pleased to meetcha," he said with every bit of the southern charm he had probably possessed in his first lifetime. "Do I look like someone you know? I get that a lot!"

"You reminded me of Auntie Linda," Liv said the first thing that popped into her mind, but realized immediately that she couldn't leave it at that. "She's a drag king – she likes to dress up as a man." She could also give an amazing rendition of _Jailhouse Rock_ , but that, clearly, was beside the point.

Bubba appeared to consider her answer for a moment before he declared with a happy grin. "That sounds like fun! Like Halloween! I like Halloween!"

"Yes, we're all partial to that holiday," Eric cut off his increasingly enthusiastic cries. "But since that is still a ways away, we can deal with more pressing matters first. Bubba, sit down."

The husky vampire dropped obediently into a seat, pulling a travel pack of Tru Blood from somewhere and taking a leisurely sip as he focused on Eric with the attentiveness of a little boy. Liv was reasonably sure that not all of Bubba's faculties had made the transition from human to vampire, though at least he seemed in good spirits.

Eric proceeded to introduce Godric to the gathered group with a few short words that nonetheless left no doubt about his admiration and affection for his maker. Godric, meanwhile, smiled modestly, listened attentively and kept Liv firmly anchored to his side. It was probably a good idea, all things considered, though she was mostly just glad that the focus was off of her for the moment. She hadn't really been involved or even present for much of the official vampire business back in Dallas, both because she had worked full time and because Godric had cautioned against it. But this was nonetheless familiar, soothing, simply because Godric had a way of talking to the younger vampires, listening to them without interruption or any sign of impatience and accepting their respect or barely contained awe with grace. Eric had a similar manner about him, she thought, though not quite as refined, his much more imposing appearance standing in contrast to Godric's confident serenity.

"Godric will not hold any official position in my area," Eric said in conclusion. "That being said, you can safely assume that any order or request he might address to you has my unmitigated approval."

"Thank you for welcoming me to your area, Eric. I'm honored to have you as my sheriff." Godric said with a soft smile for his progeny before nudging Liv a step forward. "This is Liv. She's mine."

Liv wasn't sure which reaction she found more disconcerting: the fawning compliments to Godric, from one side of the room, that he had picked a worthy pet and that she smelled like a tasty morsel, or the deep, scenting inhalations and pointy incisors of the other half.

"You sure smell nice. Eric said so too," Bubba piped up, taking another slurp of his Tru Blood before he stood up and approached Liv with a swagger and a wide smile. "But I like cats better. Do you like cats?"

"I prefer chicken," Liv answered honestly, trying to get past how surreal it was to discuss herself, cats and chicken as possible meal options, especially as Bubba seemed to consider her suggestion very seriously.

"I once lived off of goat's blood for a month. It wasn't so bad," Godric offered mildly and Liv was once again glad for his absolute, unshakeable calm. "But it's good that you're drinking Tru Blood as well, to keep up your strength."

"Eric tole me to, else I'm not allowed to go outside," Bubba said, a bit petulantly, throwing Eric a baleful look that the tall Viking ignored in lieu of focusing on his gathered underlings again.

He didn't speak, but strode past the unorderly line like a commanding officer inspecting his troops, looming over anyone who had dropped fang until they remembered their manners and he was satisfied that he had their full and undivided attention again. Then, in a perfectly choreographed move, Eric took a step back just as Godric took one forward, bringing Liv with him.

When Godric spoke his voice was deceptively mild, as if he was merely commenting on the weather or the sights in Shreveport, but somehow, it was all the more menacing for it. "Liv is mine. Everything she is, every millimeter of skin, every drop of blood belongs to me." He paused while his fingers played skillfully over her stomach, teasingly, possessively. Liv sucked in a surprised breath, feeling a flush rise to her cheeks and then fiercely bit her lip to suppress the whimper that wanted to escape.

Godric continued as if nothing untoward had happened, "I'm sure I do not need to outline how very displeased I would be if someone were to trespass on that. But allow me to be perfectly clear: If you touch Liv without her explicit permission or harass her in any way, I will tear off your head without a moment's hesitation."

His words were met with silence so thick you could cut it with a knife. Then, one by one, the vampires nodded their understanding, inclined their heads in submission, murmured their agreement and were dismissed by Eric.

"You did that on purpose," Liv whispered accusingly when Godric and she were the only ones left in the room, Eric and Pam having escorted Bubba outside.

"You always respond so beautifully," Godric replied, allowing her to turn in his arms, his fingers switching from caressing her stomach to rubbing gentle circles on her back. He looked altogether too pleased with himself.

"Godric..." Liv trailed off helplessly.

Godric seemed to understand without words, his touch becoming infinitely more careful, apologetic. "You're incandescent, intoxicating, irresistible. Especially during these days of your womanly cycle, especially when you allow me to give you pleasure. I needed them to understand exactly what they can never have. I need you to be safe."

"You've always kept me safe," Liv murmured with a sigh. "And I'm not angry, but I am yours and I think it just reflects poorly on both of us if you have to put me on display to prove it."

Godric inclined his head before he offered softly, "I was too reserved about my affections before and you paid the price for it. I don't want to make that mistake ever again, Liv, though I truly did not mean to make you feel uncomfortable. Do you want me to take you home?"

Liv hesitated a moment before she shook her head, deciding to give in, for once, to the unexpected but not unwelcome surge of daring, the heady confidence only Godric inspired in her. "I liked how you touched me," she admitted softly, feeling another blush coming on. "And we're alone now. I want you to finish what you started."

"I can do that," Godric replied, quick as a shot, and his smile - gentle and honest and quietly grateful - wiped away even the last traces of her earlier discomfort.

A moment later, Godric's hands started to trace reverently over her stomach and sides again, bunching the thin material of her blouse and then smoothing it down. She didn't suppress the whimper this time around. Godric inhaled deeply, his pupils blown wide and just a hint of fang peaking over his lower lip as he crowded her against the wall. One of the framed pictures rattled dangerously, but Liv couldn't worry about that with Godric's cool, hard body slowly undulating against hers and his fingers gently exploring the curves of her breasts, the sensitive peaks of her nipples. Godric's leg pressed between hers and she startled a little at the noticeable bulge in his pants.

"Too much?" Godric whispered, stilling completely for the few seconds it took her to shake her head in denial, to hook her left leg around his waist, to wipe out even the last breath of air between them. Godric made a sound she had never heard from him before, guttural and needy, as he started to rock against her again. Her own pleasure had cooled a little, but the look on his face – his fluttering eyelids, his gaping mouth and his pointed teeth – made her feel as powerful as she had ever felt. She slid her hand down between their bodies and pressed it timidly against Godric's crotch.

Godric surged against her like a tidal wave and for a moment she wasn't sure if her lack of breath was due to excitement or the sheer physical impossibility of it. He eased back immediately, sucking a row of kisses along her collarbone in apology, and blew teasingly against the sensitive skin of her neck until she arched away with a giggle. Godric slid his hands under her thighs and boosted her up with ease, giving her a moment to raise any potential objections before he began rocking against her again, sending delicious frissons through her body with every gentle thrust, with the way the rough material of her jeans rubbed maddeningly against her intimates, his hands caressed along her sides, his lips whispered endearments in her ear, breathed kisses against her skin. Then, Godric lowered his mouth to her pebbled nipple and began to suck gently as his hand slid between her legs, his thumb just lightly pressing against the zipper of her jeans, and the world exploded into a shower of bright white lights, tiny bolts of lightning racing over her skin, through her veins and muscles, her whole body awash in euphoric bliss as the pleasure built and built and finally consumed her.

It ebbed away slowly, leaving her feeling comfortably lethargic and relaxed as Godric thrust a few more times against her and then stilled, their lower bodies all but molded together as he found his own release. Quietly. Liv couldn't remember if she had made a sound, if she had screamed or moaned or thumped loudly against the wall or had done any of the million other things that connoted orgasms in fiction, but Godric was quiet. He had thrown back his head and Liv could see the expression on his face, a grimace of almost-pain, rapture, his eyes shuttered and his fangs glinting dangerously in the low lighting. He was absolutely beautiful, breathtaking and for those few, precious moments he belonged only to her.

She sighed happily, slinging her arms over Godric's shoulders and answering his inquiring smile with a grin of her own. Godric carefully shifted his hold on her, one arm supporting her back while the other went under her knees, and just held her for a moment longer before he carefully sat her down in Eric's swivel chair and kneeled down in front of her.

"Are you all right, cridiíon imon?" he asked, gently rubbing his hands up and down her thighs. "Do you need anything?"

"Just you," Liv replied immediately, leaning forward to grasp Godric's arms and tug him closer. Godric went willingly, slipping into the chair next to her and pulling her onto his thigh. He started to nestle at her hair-tie, undoing the mess her high ponytail had become and combing her curls out with his fingers.

Liv closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder, breathing deeply. Basking in the afterglow. She had never truly understood the expression. It had seemed so at odds with the bland medical definition – _orgasm:_ _a series of muscle contraction in the genital region accompanied by a release of endorphins due to sexual stimulation._ Focusing on that had made it easier to dismiss the experience as irrelevant to her life. Another lie she told herself.

"Thank you, Godric," she whispered finally. "I'm glad I got to experience that with you."

"Likewise and anytime." Godric grinned impishly at her, pressing a kiss into her hair before he got up. "I think I ruined my pants, though." He looked curiously down at his crotch, plucking at the dark wet patch of his stained jeans. "This material gets rather uncomfortable when it's wet."

Liv chuckled. "You never noticed that before?"

"The last time this happened denim hadn't been invented yet," Godric replied, laughing at her astonished expression and showing his pearly white teeth. "I usually take my clothes off for sexual intercourse."

"I'm not quite there yet," Liv admitted timidly, though for the first time she hadn't felt restricted by the protective layer of clothes between them, had all but forgotten it under the onrush of new sensations and Godric's skillful touch.

"Whenever you are ready is soon enough for me," Godric promised, carefully nudging her chin up with the side of his arm and blowing a kiss against her lips.

"I know. I know that," Liv said before she added with a self-deprecating laugh, "But I'm afraid I'm a lot less patient than you are." She pressed her own kiss against Godric's sternum and then lightly pushed him away. "And if we don't stop right now, I'll lose all composure and have my wicked way with you."

"I would be okay with that," Godric offered hopefully, but she just rolled her eyes and shooed him off good-naturedly.

She did her best to straighten her clothes and sweep her hair into some semblance of order before she excused herself to use the toilet and freshen up properly. When she came back, Godric had changed into a fresh pair of jeans that looked slightly too big on him, but not so much so as that they could have been Eric's. They probably belonged to one of the other bar employees – or else he had bought himself a new pair, vampire speed. Whatever the case, he still looked delectable and Liv could feel the heat rise in her cheeks again.

Godric gave her a knowing smile and his gaze felt like a caress on her skin, but he merely held out his hand to her. "If you're not too tired, and with your permission of course, I would very much like to dance with you before we go home."

"I'd love that," she agreed readily, slipping her hand into the crook of his arm and allowing him to lead her back to the bar.

It was just as lively there as before though the human-vampire-ratio had shifted slightly as some of the vampires had left and more human patrons had come to try their luck. The atmosphere seemed less playful now, darker, charged with an undefinable energy – a hunger, and not just for blood. Pam and Bubba were nowhere to be seen, but Eric was back on his throne, apparently much more interested in his phone than in the sycophantic humans steadily inching closer.

Godric stopped them in the entrance way, only a few feet away from the raised stage with Eric's throne. "Go to Eric. I'll get you something to drink."

"Just water, please," Liv replied, smiling a little as Godric lightly caressed her elbow before letting her go; she could feel him watching her for the few steps it took her to reach Eric's side.

Eric put his phone down and turned to smirk at her, "Why, Liv, back so soon? For a moment there I was sure you were going for round two."

Liv just gaped at him for a moment, her hands curling into fists, and wishing she already had a drink so that she could throw it into his amused face. She didn't throw anything, though, not words, not drinks, not punches. Enhanced senses, she reminded herself, struggling for calm. Plus, Godric and Eric's mystical, but undeniable connection. Of course Eric knew what they had been up to. And of course, he would rub her nose in, to tease her, to bait her, to make fun of her. Not to hurt her or expose her, not with malicious intent. She just had to remember that and refrain from reading him the riot act in public.

"Thank you, Eric," she pressed out finally. "For reminding me that I have absolutely no reason to feel bad if I ever find out something personal about you."

Eric's grin only got wider. "Glad to be of service. In fact -"

"May I borrow your phone?" Liv interrupted him, very sure that she did not want to know what witticism Eric would come up with next.

Eric handed it over without hesitation and thankfully without comment and Liv quickly typed out a message before handing it back to him.

//Can we please change the subject to something that will not make me want to snap at you in public?//

Eric barely glanced at the display before he indicated for her to take a seat. "I didn't know you had yet another aunt," he said conversationally, as if the previous exchange had never happened. "Though, that was one of the best recoveries I've heard so far."

"Everyone calls her Auntie Linda," Liv explained, giving him a grateful smile. "She runs the Gay and Lesbian Center back in Dallas and when she wants to she looks quite a bit like… Bubba."

"He gets upset if you call him something else," Eric remarked. "And he's difficult to deal with when he's upset."

Liv nodded in understanding, comfortably leaning back in her chair and trying to spot Godric at the bar. Before she could find him, though, she was distracted by a leggy blonde who determinedly pushed her way through the crowd and stopped mere inches from Eric's throne. She was dressed sharply in a tailored red dress that flattered her curvy figure and her mile-long legs. Her blond, shoulder-length hair was coiffed to perfection and her smoky eyes and lush, red lips spoke of a woman on a mission.

She looked a little like a lawyer and that was exactly how she presented her case. Eric, though, interrupted her before she could even finish her opening statement. "If you shut up now, you may wait for me over there."

He flicked his fingers vaguely in the direction of his office and the woman – Katherine Anderson – strutted off with a victorious smile. Why she thought being ordered to be quiet and effectively being put on hold for as long as Eric pleased was a cause for celebration was honestly beyond Liv, but it wasn't her place to judge and at the very least she could admire Katherine's confidence and poise.

"Something you wish to add?" Eric asked, apparently noticing her unease, and mockingly waved his cellphone at her.

"I guess I'm just wondering why she would be happy that you treated her with so little respect," Liv replied softly.

"You're welcome to join us, if you'd care to find out," Eric offered with a smirk, fluidly rising to his feet and then leaning down again to whisper in her ear, "I'm sure you could learn a few things. I'm an excellent teacher."

Eric had clearly said it to get another rise out of her, but the way he said it, in that conspiratorial, pseudo-seductive whisper, only made her snort out a laugh. "Does that line ever work for you?"

"Oh, it does for me, but I wouldn't recommend its use for anyone else." Eric grinned cockily, flexing his broad, well-muscled shoulders as he straightened up again.

"Very sensible," Liv said agreeably, hiding her smile with her hand. "Well, don't let me keep you. I'm sure… ah, there you are."

Godric had appeared at her side again and passed her a tall glass of sparkling water with a slice of lemon floating on top. "There was a line," he offered apologetically and his hand slid onto Liv's shoulder. "And I don't understand why I had to choose between three different kinds of water. Is this the water you wanted, Liv?"

"It's perfect, thank you," Liv said, taking a sip to prove her point but then noticed how thirsty she was and drained the glass to the halfway point. "I can explain the differences to you, if you'd like."

"I'll leave you to it, then," Eric said, exchanging a long look with Godric before once more smirking at Liv. "I prefer my entertainment with a little more flavor."

He was next to Katherine in the next second, offering her a truly charming smile and murmuring something in her ear that made her giggle and nod eagerly. The crowd parted like the Red Sea to let them pass, forming a guard of honor – or a whispering, gossiping, envying version thereof. Katherine seemed to enjoy all the attention, at least, walking with slow, measured steps and a confident swing to her hips. Eric's large hand rested low on her back, almost on her shapely butt, steering her along without undue haste. They looked good together, both tall and blond and beautiful. Like royalty.

Liv turned her focus back on Godric, who it seemed had never taken his eyes off of her. She wished she could kiss the worried furrow from between his brows, but settled on reaching up and resting her left hand lightly on his arm, telling him wordlessly that there was no need for concern.

She did end up explaining the differences between tap water, carbonated water and mineralized water to him, pointing out the bubbles of carbon dioxide that clung to the walls of her glass and sparkled up to the surface. Godric seemed equal parts fascinated and confused, peering closely into her water glass and listening to the fizz of the bubbles rising to the surface, but then admitting that he didn't quite understand the usefulness of this procedure.

Liv shrugged lightly, enjoying the feeling of Godric's hands rising and falling again with her movement and settling a little more firmly afterwards. "I like how it prickles in my mouth. Besides, not everything has to be useful all the time. Otherwise we wouldn't have art or music or dancing." She smiled at him, placing her by now empty glass on the side table. "Speaking of which, I thought you wanted to ask me something?"

"I don't know this song, this music," Godric admitted cautiously. "I don't know how to dance to this."

"Neither do I," Liv offered, listening closely for a moment and turning to look at where a few people were moving to the sound of the beat, or offbeat as the case may be. It was an electronic remix of some popular song she vaguely remembered hearing on the radio, and with the notable exception of a female vampire who was dancing on one of the small stages and who was twisting and turning her body in ways that frankly did not look humanly possible, most of the dancers were either flailing wildly around or else were merely shifting their weight from side to side as if any larger movement might expose them to ridicule. Liv was reasonably certain that they would not be the worst dancers on the floor. "The music's not important, though. I just want to dance with you, like we did in Dallas."

Dallas, when they had spent a quiet evening at Godric's place, swapping stories and sharing laughter and just getting to know each other; when Godric had recounted his adventures and impressions of life in Europe during and after the French Revolution; when Godric had suddenly pulled her to her feet to demonstrate how to dance the minuet, continued to lead her through a waltz and even a tango; when she had laughed and smiled and felt her heart swell with fondness for this incredible, amazing man, who looked at her as if she was a goddess, but who held her as if she was something precious and easily breakable.

"That's when I started falling in love with you," Liv realized aloud. "Without any music at all."

Godric's face lit up with a pleased, happy smile to mirror the one on her own face, and he extended his hand to her. "In that case, may I have this dance, milady?"

"Always," Liv said, slowly reaching for Godric's hand and trusting that he would do something to avoid direct skin contact. She found her hand safely tucked into the crook of his arm the blink of an eye later. Godric led her to a quiet corner of the dance floor and the room around them, the people, the music soon faded away until it was just the two of them, swaying and swirling to a melody only they could hear, to the rhythm of Liv's heartbeat.

The background music cutting off completely and the sudden cessation of the other dancers eventually broke the spell and when she looked up, Pam and Bubba were standing on the small platform where Eric's throne had been. Bubba looked different, though: his hair had been styled as in his younger years, which looked strange with his 42-year-old face; his skin was plastered with a ton of make-up to give him back his previously sun-tanned complexion and he had changed into a rather gaudy, bedazzled jumpsuit with fringed sleeves. He looked simultaneously more and less like himself, Liv thought, and predictably a murmur went through the crowd, only quieting when Pam impatiently tapped the microphone that had been set up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to Bubba, who will entertain us all tonight with his tribute show," Pam said in a tone as dry as sandpaper and inflected with about as much enthusiasm as a doornail.

"Is that a good idea?" Liv asked Godric in a whisper as the bar erupted into applause and Bubba stepped up to the microphone with a bashful smile.

"It's safer to hide him in plain sight than to try to lock him away for the rest of his stay here. He gets petulant," Godric explained.

"And humans are so refreshingly gullible, after all," Eric spoke up, suddenly joining them in their quiet corner. "A little stage make-up, an old costume and of course copious amounts of alcohol and you're all too willing to believe that he's just a moderately talented impersonator."

There was a healthy glow to his skin now, a soft pink hue to his cheeks that hadn't been there before and when Liv looked around she could just see Katherine striding past, with a last flirtatious smile for Eric and a fresh bite mark on her neck. Her hair was slightly mussed and her dress was perhaps not quite as unwrinkled as it had been before, but she too looked very pleased with herself and the world, an extra spring to her step. Apparently Eric's rudeness did not extend to bedroom activities. Liv stopped herself before her meandering thoughts could lead her even further down the rabbit hole; Eric's smirk was far too knowing as it was.

It was definitely safer to focus back on Bubba and his performance. Someone had put on some music again and she comfortably leaned back against Godric's strong form as the first chords rang out over the speakers, drowned out for a moment by the frenetic welcome of the crowd as Bubba started crooning into the microphone. As loathe as she was to agree with Eric's assessment of the perceptiveness of humans, she could see how he might be right. With all the trappings, Bubba didn't look like an original but like a not altogether authentic copy of himself. He still had a nice voice and sang with much soul, but to someone who had only ever heard his voice on digitally remastered recordings it sounded at most like a good imitation.

"Huh," Liv murmured, a smile stealing onto her lips when Godric slid his arms around her waist and gently began to sway them in time to the music. "I do love this song."

"As do I," Godric replied, whispering the next few lines in her ear and holding her a little tighter. "It speaks to me."

Liv smiled even wider, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes, softly humming the melody and letting the words touch her soul. _Like a river flows surely to the sea…_


	18. Drei Romanzen

**18\. Drei Romanzen – Op. 22 – Clara Schumann**

It was already a quarter past midnight and with every minute that ticked by, Liv was finding one more reason why she shouldn't be sitting here on Sookie's grime-covered front porch, being eaten by mosquitos and trying to console an inconsolable Hadley.

It had all started innocently, and reasonably enough, with the promised phone call and Hadley announcing that she wanted to talk to Sookie in person and would Liv, please, please, please accompany her?

Only that when they had come to Bon Temps, Sookie was nowhere to be found. They had passed by her place of work first, a diner called _Merlotte's Bar and Grill_ , but Sookie hadn't picked up a shift for that evening and Hadley hadn't wanted to stay to ask any of the other waitresses if they knew where she was. So instead they had decided to come here to wait for Sookie's return and Hadley had quietly asked if Liv would mind terribly waiting in the car so that she could have a few moments alone with her grandmother.

Liv had agreed automatically before she had remembered what Sookie had told her in Dallas, about a vampire-hating serial killer who had murdered her grandmother. Hadley's grandmother. She had pulled the car to a stop, halfway up the driveway, and had done her best to break the news gently. And when Hadley had shouted her denial, jumped out of the car and ran towards the house, Liv had followed at a safe distance, parked the car and gently maneuvered Hadley to sit down.

"Gran always took such pride in her house, you know?" Hadley confided with a sniff, absently picking splinters from the askew struts of the banister. "I loved coming here as a child. It always smelled like pie and I was allowed to play with Jason and Sookie and we'd pick fresh flowers for the dinner table. And Gran, she…" She choked on another sob and Liv started rubbing circles on her back again. "She was the kindest person I've ever known. I can't believe she's gone…"

"I'm sorry," Liv whispered, blinking back her own tears and wishing she had the words to ease Hadley's sorrow.

"Every day I told myself I'd come back here, apologize for everything, pay back the money I stole and tell her how sorry I am. And every day, I found an excuse to put it off, when the truth is that I was simply too afraid and too ashamed to face up to my mistakes. And now it's too late and I can never tell her…"

"I'm sure she knew," Liv promised. "Family always knows."

"And the way she died? Murdered in her own kitchen?" Hadley demanded, ineffectively wiping at her teary face. "Why didn't Sookie tell me? I could have at least come home for the funeral."

"I think maybe she didn't know how to get in touch with you," Liv pointed out gently, pulling a pack of handkerchiefs from her purse and handing one to the other girl. "Do you want to visit her grave now and say your goodbyes?"

She could just see the edges of a graveyard from their spot on the front porch, a wrought-iron fence and a tall headstone between the shielding trees, and they had passed the gate when they had driven up to Sookie's house. Hadley blew her nose and was about to answer when the sound of a phone ringing interrupted them.

"Oh, shoot, that's Sophie. She must have sensed that I'm upset. Hang on, hang on," Hadley said, starting to rummage in her handbag and then upending it on the steps to extract her phone from the mess of cosmetics, hairbands, pens and pieces of paper.

She managed to answer the call on the fourth ring and Liv got up to give her some privacy, wandering a little down the driveway and noting the remnants of a strange structure to the left of the house. It looked like it might have been a pyre, but when she stepped closer she found that it smelled like a compost pile, with rotten fruit and wilted flowers slung around the thick branches like garlands and dark, sticky smears on the wood that were almost certainly blood. Someone had started to clear up the mess – there was a half-filled plastic tub, a pair of pink household gloves and several stuffed garbage bags – but there was still a lot left.

It took her a moment to remember the maenad that had supposedly wreaked havoc on this small town and to make the connection to the disarray in Sookie's backyard and the sorry state of her house. She hadn't imagined that there would still be visible traces of the creature's presence in Bon Temps. Though, counting the days in her head she realized that not a lot of time had passed, even if there had been so many changes in her own life that it felt like it.

"Sorry, about that," Hadley called, stuffing her phone back into her handbag.

Liv turned away from the pyre and retraced her footsteps, noting with relief that Hadley looked a little more composed now, even managing a weak smile as she dabbed at her teary eyes.

"Sophie talked me through the worst of it," Hadley confessed, laughing a little at Liv's look of incredulity. "I know, I know, but she has a way with words, doesn't she? And she always knows how to cheer me up."

"I'm glad," Liv said. "Do you want to go back to Shreveport, though? We can talk to Sookie another time."

"Let's give her a few more minutes," Hadley decided, sitting back down and smoothing her skirt over her knees. "There's a lot I want to ask her and... this thing with Bill has gone too far already."

"Did you know about Sophie-Anne's plan?" Liv asked, sitting down next to her.

"Not at first, but I knew she was interested in Sookie's abilities and she told me a while ago that she wanted to meet her. I don't know why she had to go about it this way. Between you and me, I think sometimes she just enjoys her own cleverness a little too much. But when she told me about her scheme and Bill's part in it - it didn't seem so bad, honestly. When we were younger, Sookie always dreamed of having her own epic love story, just like in her books, and what could be more romantic than an immortal love?"

"I don't think Bill is the right guy for that kind of happy ending," Liv remarked.

Hadley sighed, softly shaking her blond head. "You don't know what it's like to grow up in a small town like this: Everyone knows everyone and feels entitled to their secrets; and once they know they feel entitled to judge you. They say the most vicious and hurtful things out loud - I don't even want to know what they think in the privacy of their own minds. Bill might not be Mr. Right, but at least he seemed a helluva step up from the assholes who call her 'Crazy Sookie', behind her back and to her face."

"Then what made you change your mind?" Liv asked, not wanting to distract by starting a discussion on how advisable it really was to settle for someone just because he (or she) did not call you names to your face.

Even in the almost dark of the moon-lit night Liv could see how Hadley's pretty face creased into a worried frown, but before she could answer the wavering beams of a car's headlights appeared at the end of the driveway, jerking up and down as the small yellow car hopped much too quickly along the uneven path.

They got up and stepped away from the porch, ready to greet Sookie when she jumped out of her car as if the interior had been filled with hornets.

"Have you seen Bill?" she demanded, looking around wildly, but didn't give them a chance to answer before she was loudly shouting and screaming the vampire's name, her voice somersaulting even on the one syllable.

"Sookie, Sookie, stop!" Hadley said, grasping her cousin by the shoulders and trying to contain her frenzy. "He's not here. Stop it, Sookie, we need to talk."

"Then where is he?" Sookie all but shouted. "Do you know who took him?"

"Took him?" Liv asked carefully, wondering but then dismissing the idea that Eric might have changed his tactics from observation to abduction. It didn't seem a strategic move. "Sookie, we can't help you if you don't tell us what happened."

"I don't have time for this," Sookie exclaimed, tearing herself free from Hadley's hold and off towards the cemetery.

"I think we had better follow her," Liv suggested, exchanging a quick look with Hadley before she ran after the possible part-fairy, glad that she had put on comfortable sneakers after work. She could hear Hadley huffing and cursing behind her even as she quickly caught up with Sookie, who was forging ahead with a reckless lack of surefootedness – neither plateau sandals nor ankle-strap high heels were the right footwear for this kind of enterprise.

Sookie broke through the tree line and Liv followed right behind, but then froze as Sookie hastened towards the two-storied plantation house. She had seen this before. She had been here before, in her vision of the queen's death and those images superimposed themselves over reality now, caused her a flash of vertigo, made her stumble against a tree and cling to it while she battled the urge to scream.

Hadley rushed past her and Sookie was still screaming Bill's name at the top of her lungs and hammering against the front door, but Liv couldn't move for fear of walking back into her vision, as unreasonable as that surely was. Bill's door finally opened, but the tall red-headed girl looked nothing like the vampire in question and apparently didn't know either where he could be found, if Sookie's still loud voice and her agitated hand gestures were any indication. All three women started to talk loudly, fragmented words and sentenced drifting over to where Liv was standing, still rooted to the ground, lost in her memories.

The ringing of her cellphone jerked her back to the present and gave her the perfect excuse to turn away from the sight of Bill Compton's house. She found the phone in her purse, surprised to see Pam's name flashing across the screen.

"I'll have you know that I'm not a switchboard operator," Pam declared in lieu of a greeting, continuing when Liv made a sound between agreement and a request for further information. "Godric wants to talk to you."

"Liv?" Godric said, or more like shouted, a moment later.

"Hi," Liv returned softly, pulling in a deep breath and releasing it slowly. "You don't have to shout. Just speak normally."

"Sorry," Godric said, his voice back to a normal volume. "These devices still seem very strange to me. I had to ask Pam for help."

"I'm glad you called. Please tell Pam thank you."

"Are you all right?" Godric asked, so very gently that for a moment she didn't know how to answer. "Liv, do you want me to come to you?"

"I'm okay, really. It's just good to hear your voice," Liv replied, puffing out a relieved breath as she leaned against a convenient tree, her back to the house and the still strident voices of the other three women.

"You've been gone longer than I expected," Godric explained.

"I think Bill might be missing," Liv offered softly. "Sookie only came home a few minutes ago and she was too agitated to explain anything, but we're at his house now. You can probably hear them shouting in the background, Sookie and Hadley and a red-haired girl who was at Bill's house."

"Jessica, she's Bill's progeny," Godric answered. "She's saying that Bill isn't home and that Sookie can't come in to check for herself. Hadley is doing a rather poor job of making her cousin listen to her."

"Yes, I don't think Sookie's in a mind to listen to anyone right now." Liv sighed, glancing back over her shoulder. "If Jessica is Bill's progeny shouldn't she know where Bill is? Or at least if he's okay?"

"She's too young and inexperienced as a vampire. Bill was compelled to make her as punishment for killing Eric's partner in business," Godric said, continuing when he heard her sharply indrawn breath. "In his defense the vampire had been stealing from Eric and he tried to kill Sookie. That's why the Magister decided to be lenient."

"Is it naïve of me to think that a fair punishment should not have involved a girl who doesn't even look old enough to vote, let alone make such far-reaching decisions about her life?" Liv asked softly.

"I'd use the word 'idealistic' and I see nothing wrong with that," Godric replied seriously. "But from what Eric told me, Jessica quite enjoys being a vampire. Even if she might not be able to gage all the ramifications yet… They're coming back your way. It seems Miss Stackhouse has decided that Eric might have something to do with Bill's sudden disappearance."

"Does he?" Liv asked for argument's sake as she turned towards the two approaching blondes.

"I doubt it very much," Godric replied. "You know that Sophie-Anne asked him to keep Bill Compton under observation. Neither one of them will be pleased about this development."

"Then you should probably warn him," Liv said, trailing after Sookie and Hadley and trying to blend out their heated exchange for a moment longer. "Will you be at Fangtasia?"

"Eric's there and Pam has already left to inform him," he answered before continuing with a slightly apologetic tone, "He asked me to mind Bubba tonight. There was an incident earlier and Bubba's being a little difficult. But I could put him somewhere and be at Fangtasia when you arrive?"

"Thank you, but you don't have to do that. I think there's a lot Bubba can learn from you and he's very lucky to have you as his teacher," she replied, hoping that Godric could hear the smile in her voice. "I'll see you at home, okay? I love you."

"I will see you at home, cridiíon imon," Godric agreed and Liv smiled a little wider as she hung up and hastened after Sookie and Hadley, who had by now reached Sookie's house, though they were still arguing.

"That was Godric," she said, not caring whom she was interrupting. "He says that Eric is at Fangtasia, but that he didn't have anything to do with Bill's disappearance."

"Well of course he would say that!" Sookie exclaimed. "But if it's true Eric can damn well tell me so himself!"

She strutted over to her tiny yellow Honda, ignoring Hadley's loud protestations as she jerked at the door until it opened with an ominous screech. Her hair was starting to fall out of its elegant updo and there were two angry red blots on her cheek, a tremble in her hands.

"I'll drive," Liv said, once again interrupting Hadley and pressing the button on the car key to unlock Eric's silver Volvo, the most sensible car in Eric's vehicle fleet. "You're upset and even if you don't want to hear it right now, there is something we need to tell you."

"I don't want to listen to you badmouth Bill," Sookie declared, not moving away from her car, but at least not getting in yet. "He loves me. He asked me to marry him. And he's missing. That's all I need to know right now."

"We're not trying to badmouth him, but I think you should hear what we have to say. It might even help you find him, if that's what you want," Liv tried to persuade her. "And even if you choose not to believe anything else we tell you tonight, believe me that getting behind that wheel while you're thinking of everything but the road is a very bad idea. Let me drive."

"Fine, but only because I think I might be running low on gas," Sookie finally relented with ill grace, slamming her car's door shut and striding over to the Volvo. "Let's go."

They all piled into the car with Sookie riding shotgun and Hadley sitting in the back and Liv issued a soft reminder to both of them that they mustn't touch her, especially not while she was driving. She slipped on her gloves, just to be on the safe side, though the short delay only seemed to annoy Sookie further. The first few minutes of their road trip passed in tense silence.

"He asked you to marry him?" Hadley eventually hazarded from the backseat, clearly expecting another outburst, but Sookie just gave a terse nod and went back to staring fixedly out of the window.

"Will you tell us about it?" Liv asked softly, hoping to ease Sookie into a more communicative mood. "Did he pick out this beautiful dress for you?"

It was a dream made of soft lilac chiffon with thin spaghetti straps and a low cleavage that showcased Sookie's great figure and harmonized perfectly with her sun-kissed skin. It also looked like something that was maybe a little outside of Sookie's normal clothing budget.

"Yes," Sookie said, fingering the fine material of her skirt and seeming to thaw a little. "He sent it to me special delivery and asked me to wear it tonight for our evening out. He took me to this romantic restaurant – he had rented out the whole place and there were candles everywhere, soft music. He had even picked out the menu in advance and it was the most delicious food I ever tasted." She paused as if to gather her thoughts. "Then he gave me plane tickets, to Burlington, Vermont because vampire-human-marriages are legal there and asked me to do him the honor of becoming his wife. And I just… I did not reject him! I just needed a minute to wrap my head around everything! But when I came back from the ladies', chairs had been overturned and the tablecloth was on the floor together with the dishes and Bill was gone. Someone took him! He wouldn't leave me like that. I know it."

"It's a big decision. It's understandable that you needed a moment to think about it," Liv agreed, exchanging a quick look with Hadley through the rearview mirror.

"And Kenya wouldn't let me file a missing person's report because apparently he's not a person and I'm crazy anyway," Sookie continued, talking herself fully in rage. "You'd think that after all the shit this town has been through and all the weird stuff that has been happening lately, they might all have learned to be a little more tolerant, but no!

"And I love Bill, of course I do, but I'm allowed a moment of deliberation, aren't I? I'm not even sure who I am as Sookie Stackhouse – so how can I just agree to become Mrs. Bill Compton?"

Liv was struck for a moment that someone their age would still think of marriage this way, as the wife becoming an extension of the husband and giving up her own identity. Iris would have had a field day with that, probably weaving in one of her favorite quotes by Irina Dunn: A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.

"But that's what I've been trying to tell you!" Hadley exclaimed, leaning forward between the seats.

"Oh, please, Hadley! You were always one for tall tales, but showing back up after God knows how many years and having the audacity of trying to ruin my relationship with my future husband takes the cake!"

"Okay!" Liv said loudly. "First of all, please stop yelling in my ear or I'm pulling the car over until we can all behave like adults again. Second, you misunderstood us if you think this is about Bill. We came to talk to **you**. Because you deserve an answer."

"An answer?" Sookie asked, sounding cautiously more curious than enraged. "To what?"

"To the one question you've been asking your whole life. The same question I have: Why am I like this?" Liv replied softly, her eyes focused on the road as she shifted into a higher gear, then settled both hands back on the wheel. "If you're willing to listen, we might have an answer."

v---v

"Now, I don't remember telling you lavender was my favorite color," Pam drawled, stopping Sookie's purposeful stride and giving her an appraising look from top to bottom before glancing at Liv and Hadley. "Shouldn't you girls be in bed by now?"

"I'm in no mood for lesbian weirdness tonight, Pam. Where's Bill?" Sookie gave back, half demanding, half pleading, and with admirable composure given what she had just learned.

Their discussion for the rest of the car ride had been, if not exactly productive, at least something approaching civilized, with only a minimum of expletives and angry outbursts. Sookie had taken the news in stride, though her first reaction had been one of disappointment that she couldn't have been something a little more interesting than a fairy. As for Bill's ulterior motives and the queen's interest in her, Sookie seemed to have dismissed both points as irrelevant to her present situation, and as soon as Liv had parked the car, she had resumed her search for her would-be-husband with single-minded focus.

"I have no idea," Pam replied with a broad grin as if she found Sookie terribly amusing and also as if she might have Bill chained up in the basement.

"Then where's Eric?" Sookie demanded with a stubborn tilt to her chin.

"He's… ehm…" Pam looked to the side, looked at Liv, who could already see the smirk curling at her lips. "… indisposed at the moment."

"Indisposed doing what?" Sookie asked suspiciously, but Pam just arched her eyebrow and smirked even wider.

Sookie huffed and was off again, stalking through the bar and directly towards Eric's office, Pam, Liv and Hadley trailing behind her. She must have been in Eric's office before because she hardly paused when she found it empty and instead headed towards a second door that Liv hadn't noticed before.

"Sookie, stop. Don't. Come back," Pam said with a marked lack of authority, then held the door for Hadley and Liv and ushered them through and down a flight of stairs.

"I know he's in here. Bill?" Sookie called out, suddenly losing momentum and causing a little jam as Hadley almost ran into her. "Holy ass."

Liv had stopped a couple steps up as soon as she had registered the breathless, juddered screams and the rhythmic slapping of flesh on flesh. Pam gracefully moved past her, presumably to get a better look, while Liv was contemplating a tactical retreat. She should have known.

"Liv," Eric said, very unfairly seeing as she hadn't said or done anything to draw his attention, unlike the other three women. "See anything you like?"

"I'm going to wait upstairs," Liv whispered, turning on her heel. Her last view was of the busty blonde hanging limply suspended by thick ropes wrapped around her wrists, her face hidden by a curtain of hair, completely exposed and naked except for a small delicate choker necklace. Her lustful sighs followed Liv up the stairs, but that wasn't why she almost missed a step, why she wrapped her arms as tight around herself as they would go, why she pressed herself into a corner and wished the world could just stop, just for a moment, just long enough for her to catch her breath.

"At least you're not crying," Pam commented dryly, appearing in front of her and smoothing an imaginary wrinkle in her latex dress. "Though, that was not the reaction Eric usually enjoys. And with 'enjoys', I mean 'expects' and 'takes as his due' and 'gets excessively smug about'. Really, I should thank you."

Liv gave a watery laugh. "Oh, please, just because he was strutting around naked? As if he doesn't do that on a daily basis. Apparently neither he nor Godric has ever heard of swimming trunks."

"And with any luck they never will," Pam replied with an exaggerated leer and Liv laughed again, pushing herself away from the wall and straightening up.

"I hope he at least asked her if she was okay with being put on display like that," Liv said softly, trying to ban the images from her mind and focus on the present again. It hadn't happened to her. It wasn't her past. Still, she had not needed to be transported back into another vision tonight.

"Oh, she isn't shy. We're looking for a new dancer and Yvetta is one of our more promising candidates," Pam informed her.

"So is this your usual hiring process?" Liv asked a bit faintly.

"Oh, yes. I'm looking forward to interviewing her myself." Pam smirked suggestively once more, turning towards the stairs as Sookie's head bobbed into view.

"By the way, you owe me 10,000 dollars," Sookie called over her shoulder, paused a second on the doorstep and turned to Liv. "We can go now. Bill's not here."

"I'll be there in a minute," Liv promised, saving any reminders about how she had said so before. She smiled slightly when Hadley also came back up, her cheeks rosier than they had been all night. Eric's little show-and-show-all had clearly had the intended effect on one of them at least.

Sookie tilted her chin up a little higher and then regally strode from the room, without a backward glance to anyone.

"Could you show me where the restrooms are, Liv?" Hadley asked with a very unsubtle, pleading look in her eyes, and a furtive look to Pam, who had started buffing her nails.

"Sure," Liv agreed, also stepping towards the door.

"Don't run off. Eric wants to talk to you before you go," Pam said, sounding bored.

Liv nodded and then gathered her courage once more. "Could you ask him to please get Yvetta out of those restraints?"

Pam perked up visibly, a frightfully large grin spreading over her face. "It will be my pleasure."

Pam was gone in a flash of a second, but Hadley was still looking at her with that pleading gleam in her eyes. Liv shook herself, shook off the memories as best she could, and led Hadley to the restrooms. She wasn't surprised when Hadley pulled her inside as well, closed the door and flopped against it in a show of frustration.

"You know, I don't remember her being so stubborn and… and… exhausting when we were kids," Hadley murmured. "I promised Sophie I'd talk to her, but I can't even say two words before Sookie starts biting my head off. And now she's going to run off and probably get herself killed and all for a guy who…" She broke off, pressing her hand to her mouth as tears pooled in her expressive eyes. "I don't know what to do."

"You never got around to telling me why you changed your mind about Bill," Liv said softly, pulling a few paper towels from the dispenser and handing them to Hadley.

"I know he fed her his blood," Hadley said vehemently. "More than once and from what Sophie told me before he had exchanged even ten words with her. I don't care what Sookie thinks, but that's not love."

"Why do you say that?" Liv asked, surprised to find Hadley's pretty face creased into such an angry grimace. She had seen enough drug-related deaths that she could only applaud Hadley's healthy skepticism, but she also knew that many of the humans and vampires in Godric's nest had shared each other's blood, with no ill effects. Vampire blood could be highly addictive, but compared to other drugs such as heroin and cocaine, it was considered relatively harmless by the FDA as it didn't have any immediately negative impacts on the human body.

"When we first met, Sophie gave me some of her blood to ease my withdrawal symptoms." Hadley ducked her head, her deep brown eyes disappearing beneath her fringe. "And it helped and the sex was amazing, but it also really messed with my head. I knew we were moving too fast, that I wasn't ready for a new relationship, but I couldn't stop thinking about her. I was addicted to her."

"I'm sorry. Do you still feel that way?" Liv asked in a low voice. "Do you need help?"

Hadley quickly shook her head, sending Liv a reassuring smile. "No, no, not at all. When I told Sophie how I was feeling she made me go cold turkey again and she was really great about giving me my space. I even moved into one of the spare bedrooms for a while until I was sure of myself again. But it could have ended differently, you know? And I see Sookie now, the way she talks about him, the way she acts… she may fancy herself in love with him, but as long as he has her hooked on his blood, she's not seeing him clearly."

"I think **that** is what you need to tell her," Liv advised her gently. "Don't blame her and don't accuse Bill if she doesn't want to hear it. But talk about your own experiences and make her understand why you're worried."

"You're so much better at this than me," Hadley said, noisily blowing her nose. "You made her listen in the car. I might as well have been talking to a brick wall – or run my head against it."

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. You've had a rough day, too, and Sookie might just not be ready to listen to what we have to say about Bill. But it doesn't mean you shouldn't share your story and your concerns," Liv said with an encouraging smile. "You know what she's going through and you're her family."

"We're not that kind of family," Hadley admitted quietly as she turned around to open the door.

"You're here, sometimes that's all there is to it," Liv answered, taking a startled step back as the door to Eric's office opened just as they were about to walk past and Eric stepped into their way, thankfully back in his usual club attire.

"Hadley, Liv will be going home with me, but you're welcome to borrow the car if you want to go back to Bon Temps with your cousin," Eric said in a tone of voice that left no room for discussion, opening the door a little wider with a pointed glance at Liv.

"Oh, sure, yes, that would be good," Hadley answered hesitantly, trying to catch Liv's eye. "If you're sure that you can't come with me?"

"Eric's right. I promised Godric I would be home before sunrise," Liv said, getting the car keys out of her purse and offering them to Hadley. "And I don't want to intrude on your family reunion. I think you have a lot to discuss, other than Bill. So just try, okay? And if there're any more problems, call me and we'll figure something out together, all right?"

"Okay," Hadley agreed, reluctantly accepting the keys and sighing deeply. "You're probably right, even if I don't think she'll listen to me... But thank you for all your help. Good night."

When Hadley was gone, Eric turned Liv around by the shoulders so that she was facing the inside of his office and had a clear view of Yvetta and Pam. To call Yvetta "fully clothed" would have been stretching it, but at least she was no longer fully unclothed, her voluptuous body pressed into skin-tight leather pants and a slinky bikini top. Her blonde hair fell in messy waves around her pretty face as she diligently filled out paperwork at Eric's desk, Pam pointing out details from over her shoulder and obviously enjoying the view down her cleavage.

Liv breathed out a quiet sigh of relief and felt the tension seep out of her body. She turned back around, an apology ready on her lips, but Eric preempted her, "Godric isn't fond of ropes, either."

"I know," Liv agreed softly. "Still, I'm sorry I ruined your fun."

"We had time to amuse ourselves before you interrupted, don't worry," Eric replied with a grin, then said something to Pam that made her roll her expressive eyes, and started to steer Liv towards the back exit.

"Did you find out anything about Bill's disappearance before you put on that little show for us?" Liv asked, slipping past Eric when he held the door open for her. "I thought you had someone watching him."

"Mr. Reuben apparently deemed it too conspicuous to continue his surveillance during Bill and Sookie's romantic dinner," Eric said, sounding more than a little annoyed as he unlocked the car. "He didn't notice anything."

"Sookie said that Bill bought out the entire restaurant," Liv offered, walking around the car to get to the passenger side and turning to look at where Eric had been a moment before. He wasn't there.

Her heart fairly slammed against her ribcage and Eric froze in his forward momentum, even took a few steps back again and pinched the bridge of his nose in a very human gesture of frustration. "Liv. What is it now?"

"I'm sorry," Liv whispered, pressing her hand against her chest in a vain attempt to calm her heart. "I just… I should never have asked you to sneak up on me."

"You reacted like this because you thought I was going to sneak up on you? In the middle of the parking lot, in public?" Eric asked incredulously, walking with exaggerated slowness towards her and opening the car door for her.

"I know, okay?" Liv said weakly. "I'm sorry if I offended you. This whole experiment was a bad idea."

"It was your idea," Eric pointed out as he slipped into the driver seat.

"I know," Liv whispered, avoiding Eric's gaze as she fastened her seat belt. "And I know it was stupid."

Eric had only touched her twice and both times had been horrible, though for different reasons. The first time Eric had snuck up on her when she had been about to go down the stairs and while the vision itself had been no worse than usual she had still lost her balance and the sensation of falling, of Eric catching her a second later, had mingled with the swirling nausea of severe blood loss and the disconcerting defenselessness of being pushed into a reality that wasn't her own.

Then, this afternoon when Liv had been getting ready for work and had bent over to check her bag, Eric had gently touched her cheek and she had felt the sword go into her side, a cleaving blow that cut through armor, skin, muscle, tissue, vital organs, while the screams of battle rang in her ears and the dusty, red-misted air choked her lungs.

"I guess I thought having a plan, any plan, would be better than this helplessness," Liv admitted quietly, still avoiding Eric's gaze. "Instead I feel even more uncomfortable."

"I seem to have a talent for that," Eric said, barely slowing as they sped across a traffic junction.

"No, that's not what I meant. You've been great and I appreciate that you went along with this," Liv argued. "It's just… I like the clinic. It's well organized and clean and the people there seem nice, but they don't know me yet and so I have to explain – or rather lie about why I don't like to be touched and even then… And normally I would go home and know that I can let down my guard and recharge my batteries, but now…"

"It feels like there's no safe place left for you," Eric finished for her, slowing down as the house came into view and the garage door opened automatically. "So in summation, it was very bad idea and you'd like to scrap it." He flashed her a quick grin as he pulled the car to a stop and killed the engine. "Consider it done."

Liv blew out a long breath, smiling a little hesitantly as Eric sped around the car and opened the car door for her again. "Thank you."

Eric waited until she had unfolded from the car and then carefully pulled her in against his chest, slinging his long arms around her slim form. "I'm starting to think you might be exactly as much trouble as you're worth."

"Oh, no, you're being nice to me. I must look worse than I feel," Liv mumbled, but still rested her cheek against Eric's strong chest and folded her arms around his middle.

"You just told me that I'm always nice," Eric argued.

"I said you were great," Liv corrected, tilting her head up to meet his laughing eyes. "Nice, not so much."

"Harsh," Eric replied good-naturedly, glanced over his shoulder at Godric, who had appeared in the door, and released her slowly. "We should go inside. It's almost sunrise."


	19. Pétya i volk

**19\. Pétya i volk – Op. 67 – Sergei Prokofiev**

"And this is for you," Pam declared, putting one of her many shopping bags down in front of Eric. "Liv picked it out. She said you needed more color in your wardrobe."

Liv couldn't remember actually picking out the ice-blue sweater that emerged though she was mostly too tired to think clearly anymore. She'd gone to bed late, or rather early, then risen promptly for her shift at the clinic. Instead of a lunch break, she had spent an hour on the phone with Hadley, trying to reassure her or at least lend a sympathetic ear to her continued plight with Sookie, who remained stubborn and unregenerate and still insisted on finding Bill though she had eventually agreed that Bill would have to answer some questions if and when she found him.

Then, after work, Pam had ambushed her in the clinic's parking lot and demanded that they go shopping to try to do something about Liv's deplorable lack of fashion sense. Liv would have preferred to do something about her lack of sleep instead, but Pam had made it clear that she would not accept no for an answer.

All told, though, it had been a surprisingly fun experience. Pam had dragged her to several very stylish boutiques and compelled her to try on one extravagant outfit after the other while she herself had been in and out of the changing room at lightning speed only to eye herself critically in the mirror for minutes at a time. Pam had been dismissive or downright nasty to any shop assistant who had dared to offer their opinion, but she had also been good about keeping them well away from Liv and actually seemed to like it when Liv had offered a suggestion or paid her a compliment.

She had even agreed, though with bad grace, to visit some of the shops that were more within Liv's price range after Liv had categorically refused to let Pam charge any of her would-be purchases to Eric's credit card. In the end, Liv had still only bought one dress and two new long-sleeve tops as well as a dark green sweater for Godric that was so soft and cozy that she couldn't wait to snuggle up to him when he was wearing it.

But right now, she was too exhausted to move a muscle and even if she had managed to muster a little bit of extra energy, she wouldn't have wanted to move because Godric had taken her feet into his lap and was gently kneading out all the knots, tensions and pressure points. She sighed happily.

"Did you make the same pornographic noises when you picked it?" Eric asked. "Because that would make it my new favorite."

"Shut up, Eric," Liv said, trying not to slur her words with moderate success. "I'm pretty sure the last time you had occasion to have sore feet, neither shopping malls nor hospitals had been invented yet. And Godric has magic fingers."

Godric laughed softly, trailing his hands up her legs and lightly massaging her calves. "Thank you, though in actuality I've been trying to make you fall asleep. Seems my magic isn't working so well."

"I don't want to sleep," Liv mumbled. "I've hardly seen you these last few days between the clinic and Sookie and this shopping spree – I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," Godric said, scooping her up into his arms despite her weak protests. "But your body needs rest. Your mind needs rest. And I won't let you compromise your health for me. I promised your aunts that I would take care of you."

"Still a grown woman," Liv murmured, but pressed her hand to the hidden sensor field to open the secret passageway to the bunker so that Godric could take her downstairs.

"I didn't mean to sound patronizing," Godric said apologetically, carefully setting her down on the bed. "I just worry."

"I guess I haven't found my balance yet," Liv admitted, curling against his side and sighing quietly. "Will you stay with me, just till I've gone to sleep?"

"Of course," Godric agreed immediately. "And maybe you would allow me to pick you up after work on Friday for our second date?"

"Second date?" Liv asked with a smile, blinking her eyes open once more. "I'd love that."

Godric smiled back at her and leant down to blow a kiss against her lips. "Good. Goodnight, Liv."

"I should get changed and brush my teeth," Liv replied, rolling to her feet with a groan. She swayed slightly on her feet and Godric reached out to stabilize her. "Thank you."

"Let me get your pajamas," Godric murmured after he had walked her to the bathroom, sat her down on the edge of the bathtub and handed her her tooth paste covered tooth brush.

"My hero," Liv mumbled, grinning up at him before she started to brush her teeth.

Godric smiled back at her, disappearing briefly and then setting her perfectly folded pajamas down on the counter. He took his own tooth brush from the cup, pressed a smear of tooth paste onto the bristles and sat down next to her, nudging his shoulder lightly against hers. They brushed their teeth in companionable silence, looking at each other through the mirror and exchanging frothy smiles.

When they were both done Godric disappeared to the bedroom to give her a bit of privacy. She slipped into bed a minute later and Godric tucked the covers gently down around her, lying down at her side and putting an arm around her waist.

"I don't want you to stay down here all night," Liv murmured, rubbing her finger pads over his sleeve. "You should enjoy your night and it can't be very exciting to watch me sleep."

"You'd be surprised," Godric replied and she could hear the amusement in his voice. "Go to sleep, cridiíon imon. Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight. Love you," Liv answered with a sleepy sigh and closed her eyes.

v---v

It was like stepping into a magical fairytale world, a parallel universe where the well-kept but utilitarian back garden had been transformed into a landscape of wonder. Dozens of dozens of tea light candles drifted on the glittering surface of the pool and fairy lights had been strung along the hedges and through the grass, indicating the way to where Godric had set up a picnic blanket. Soft music sounded from a portable cd player, mingling with the play of the wind chimes and the natural sounds of the night.

"I hope you're not disappointed, but I very selfishly don't want to share your attention with anyone or anything else tonight," Godric confessed as he led her over to the blanket.

"It's perfect. I can't believe you did all this for me."

"Eric helped with the electricity," Godric said modestly and started to unpack a veritable feast of Liv's favorite foods from the picnic basket.

"I don't quite understand how that can be," Liv said carefully. "You can remember every minute detail of something that happened hundreds of years ago, recite entire books by memory and speak more than a dozen languages, but…"

"But I have trouble with switching on the lights?" Godric finished for her, smiling at her timid nod. "I'm not quite sure myself, to be honest. I think there's a part of me that will never understand how there can be light and warmth without fire, music without instruments. I try. I read all the operating manuals for these new devices; I even once read the entire recommended reading list for a course of studies in Electrical Engineering. But when Eric tells me that I can heat up the synthetic blood in the microwave or use my phone to speak to someone who might be on the other side of the world, my first thought is 'magic'. And everything else is wiped clear."

He was looking apologetically at her, as if this was some great failure he needed to excuse, and Liv couldn't have that. She rested her hand on his arm, giving it a light squeeze. "I think it's amazing how well you have adapted to all these changes. I'd probably have given up trying to keep track of these new inventions a long time ago."

"No you wouldn't have," Godric replied with a smile, sounding very sure of his assessment. "I know how excited you get about medical innovations and new clinical technologies. You'd embrace it all."

"I'd rather embrace you," Liv answered, laughing when Godric pulled her on top of him a second later.

Godric grinned up at her before growing serious once more. "Some vampires claim that we have evolved from humans, but I think the opposite is true: We're relics of long forgotten times and the human race has evolved without us. We can only learn from them by trying to adapt."

"As I said, amazing," Liv replied, pillowing her cheek on Godric's chest. "I know you've prepared all this delicious food for me, but can we just lie like this for a few minutes?"

"Of course," Godric agreed immediately, his hands resting lightly on the small of her back. "Did you have a bad day at work? Do you want to talk about it?"

Liv took a deep breath, released it slowly and knew that Godric could feel the tension in her muscles that had settled there like a toxic cloud. "It wasn't a bad day, or a bad week. I really like it there, actually. But I'm just not used to having so much contact with my patients – and I know that sounds strange."

"It doesn't," Godric assured her. "You told me before that the operational theater was a safe place for you, that it was a relief to be able to escape there for parts of your day. You don't have that here."

"Yeah," Liv admitted quietly, closing her eyes for a moment. "I know that most people don't even notice if I keep a larger distance or shy back if someone moves closer. But I do. And every time I can't take a child by the hand to look for their parents, every time I hold myself back from touching someone who's in need of comfort or even just slide a patient form over the counter instead of handing it over directly, I feel like I'm coming up short."

"I bet your patients feel very differently about that," Godric said in a quiet murmur, holding her a little tighter. "You're a fantastic nurse and they're lucky to have you. I'm lucky to have you."

"Even when I'm morose and ruining our date?" Liv asked quietly.

"I'd say especially then, but I fear that would sound weird rather than romantic," Godric answered, making her laugh. "You can tell me anything, anytime, Liv. The good things and the bad things and the things in-between. I want to share everything with you."

"Me too," Liv answered, still smiling softly. "I guess I'll just have to take it one day at a time… and keep looking for another job."

"You'll find something," Godric said confidently. "I can help you look through the job listings."

"That'd be great," Liv said, reluctantly sitting up as her empty stomach gave a grumble. "So what's all this then?"

Godric sat up as well and readily showed her all the dishes he had prepared for her: pasta salad with smoked salmon, stuffed pita sandwiches, tiny heart-shaped pies, panna cotta with strawberries and chocolate lava muffins. It was too much, as always, but when Liv pointed that out, Godric just shrugged and told her that they could save the rest for breakfast and lunch the next day. Liv tried everything, ate most of the pasta salad because its flavors were so perfectly balanced, took a few additional bites of her sandwich and then demolished the rest of her chocolate muffin while Godric told her about his attempts to teach Bubba some of the essential vampire skills he was apparently lacking.

"He just pounces on any cat unfortunate enough to cross his path," Godric said, pouring her some more apple cider. "I've been trying to teach him how to sense his prey, but he gets distracted easily and he has very little impulse control."

"Why is he like this?" Liv asked. "He seems very happy, but not all there."

"He was probably turned too late or there were too many chemicals left in his bloodstream," Godric said musingly. "In truth, I don't know exactly what happens when a vampire is made. I can tell you the steps that are necessary, but not how it is that my blood changed Eric into what he's today."

"Magic again," Liv replied with a smile, but then had to think of what Hadley had told her the other night. "Hadley is worried that Sookie's perception of Bill might be rather warped because she's consumed so much of his blood."

"If he has given her as much of his blood as Eric suggested it's very likely," Godric admitted, gently putting an arm around her shoulders when she leaned against him. "And very irresponsible of Mr. Compton."

"When we were with the queen you told her that your blood is sacred. Is that what you mean?"

Godric hesitated, his body freezing into rigidness. "I will answer your question, of course. But it might ruin the mood if I do so now."

"I thought we agreed that no-one's ruining our date as long as we're being ourselves?" Liv said, snuggling against his side after she had dabbed up the last few crumbs of her muffin with her finger and put the plate down. "This was all delicious, by the way. Thank you."

"You're very welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it," Godric replied, adjusting his arms more comfortably around her. "Are you sure you want to hear about my past, my master?"

"Yes. Though maybe we could call him something else," Liv suggested.

"My maker?" Godric offered hesitantly and with an unhappy grimace. "I don't like to think of him that way."

Liv shook her head. "And I don't like to think of him in **any** relation to you. We could give him an unflattering nickname if you don't want to use his real name."

"Claudius," Godric said pensively. "I wasn't allowed to call him that, but I guess he can't stop me anymore."

Liv smiled encouragingly, waiting for Godric to continue with his original point.

"Claudius liked to hurt me. He liked to see me bleed, see me broken. But he didn't want to deal with my convalescence or any permanent damage, so he used his blood to heal me." Godric smiled tolerantly at her when she startled. "You already know about the effects of consuming vampire blood as a drug, of course, but we've tried to keep its healing properties from becoming common knowledge."

"Probably a good idea," Liv admitted quietly, a bit uneasy about her own fascination.

"It's not a panacea. Illnesses or diseases cannot be cured as easily as that, but wounds and injuries will heal more quickly – in a matter of seconds if the blood is potent enough or if a large quantity is consumed. But there're side effects, especially with prolonged usage."

"You mean addiction and emotional dependency?"

Godric lightly shook his head. "Claudius did not mean to turn me. I don't think he meant for my death either, but he was often immoderate in his desire to cause me pain and over the years he had fed me so much of his blood that it started to lose its effect on me, that he had to give me more and drink more of my blood to regain his strength. I don't remember it clearly, what he did to me that night. Probably nothing he hadn't done before. But I remember feeling weak, feeling myself fading. I welcomed it. I thought it would finally be over."

Godric was talking more quickly now as if a dam had broken and he couldn't hold the words back any longer, now that he had given himself permission to speak. Liv could only listen quietly, her fingers caressing gently over his side, and hope that her presence comforted him at least a little.

"But there was too much of his blood in me. He didn't bury me, but we were underground and he slept there during the day. It was enough. When the sun set I woke as a vampire. It was worse, so much worse than death. If I had felt exposed and at his mercy before it was nothing to how I felt after I became his progeny. He could command me as my maker and he used that power indiscriminately. He forced me to do things I didn't want to do, to hurt myself, to hurt others," Godric trailed off, getting lost in his own dark memories.

Liv tightened her arms around him and pressed her cheek against his silent heart. "Whatever happened was not your fault and you survived it. I'm so glad you survived it."

Godric smiled fleetingly and rallied again. "It continued like that until Claudius' vampire brother came to visit. If possible, Remus had even less regard for humans, but I wasn't that anymore and he thought it was an affront to vampires everywhere that I didn't even possess the most rudimentary skills. He said that our blood is sacred and that being a maker is a sacred duty. When Claudius still refused, Remus became my teacher instead and for a while my life was bearable."

"Do you know what became of Remus?" Liv asked carefully.

"I heard that he found the true death a chiliad ago," Godric said, shaking his head lightly when Liv made a sound of distress. "We weren't on good terms by then. In his mind I had committed sacrilege by daring to turn against the vampire who had made me – regardless of our history. He made an attempt to avenge Claudius' death, but I escaped and avoided all vampires for the next few centuries."

"Until you met Eric," Liv murmured as Godric's hand slid up and down her back, so slowly as if he was charting his territory.

"There's much of what Remus told me that I don't agree with. But I believe that making a new vampire is not something to be taken lightly, and neither is the sharing of our blood. Bill Compton and others might find it a convenient way to assure themselves of a human's devotion, or to make money, but the changes on the human are unpredictable and sometimes irreversible."

"You're saying that if Sookie isn't careful she might be turned into a vampire?" Liv asked.

"In the best case, but it's rare for the transition to be successful under such circumstances. More likely she will start to develop more and more of our characteristics - blood lust, an allergy to sunlight and silver, a slowing of all bodily systems – and become something that is neither fully human, nor fully vampire. If she survived being like Bubba would be an improvement. I would never do that to someone I loved."

"I know," Liv said, placing a few gentle kisses in a row up his chest. "Thank you for telling me all this."

"Thank you for listening," Godric replied with a soft smile, carefully twisting a lock of her hair around his finger.

"Would it be okay if I tried to warn Sookie?" Liv asked a short while later.

"Of course, though from what you told me it doesn't seem likely that she will listen."

Liv sighed. "I know, but I have to try at least and maybe she'll remember my words when she's thinking a little more clearly."

They were silent for a while before Godric huffed out a laugh. "Maybe I should have asked Eric for dating tips after all. He'd probably have advised against these less than edifying conversational topics. I fear I've wrecked all hope I had of seducing you tonight."

Liv perked up, drawing back a little so that she could properly study the bashful look on his face. "You wanted to seduce me?"

"Only with your permission, of course," Godric offered, pulling her fully onto his lap when she smiled brightly in response. "And I wanted to suggest something that might help you with your abilities. But -"

"I'd still like to hear that," Liv interrupted gently. "Did you find something in the books the queen gave us?"

"So far they have been descriptive rather than helpful." Godric shook his head regretfully, continuing when Liv prompted him with a small nudge. "But I noticed something that made me think that the key to controlling your visions might be to give you more control, not less: Right now skin contact and your visions are something that is done to you, that is forced on you. But when I bit you, you reached out to touch my cheek, you initiated, you were in control."

"I touched you at the hotel too," Liv objected.

"And you saw what you needed to see, my human death and later, proof of my connection to Eric," Godric argued. "And I know you hate to witness what my… what Claudius did to me, but you remained in control; the visions didn't overwhelm you."

Liv absently played with the buttons of Godric's shirt as she thought back to that morning and remembered with surprised disbelief that she had touched him and still managed to form whole sentences, that she had walked down several flights of stairs while holding hands with him. She hadn't paid attention at the time and had brushed it off with generalizations when Eric had asked about it, but in hindsight she had had admirable control over her abilities that day.

"You're stronger than you know," Godric murmured gently, as if reading her mind.

Liv smiled gratefully but then asked, "So you think the queen was wrong?"

"Not wrong, but perhaps a bit imprecise," Godric replied carefully. "I do think your fear is part of the problem, but the solution isn't for you to be even more afraid. You need to learn to use your abilities confidently and at your own pace. And if you allow it I would like to help you with that. So would Eric."

"Is he listening in on us again?" Liv asked.

"He came home a quarter of an hour ago."

Liv took that as a yes, though she wasn't sure how to feel about it. She knew how close Godric and Eric were, knew too that their connection was something that she would never be quite able to grasp. Most of the time it evoked in her a feeling of peace and tranquility, even pride to be included so seamlessly in their shared lives. Other times, like this, she chafed at having Eric intrude on something that should be private, should be hers and Godric's alone – and then reminded herself that she had nothing to be ashamed of and that if Eric wanted to listen in on them to satisfy his curiosity or his protective instincts or both, she shouldn't let it bother her.

"If it makes you uncomfortable, I will ask him to give us some privacy," Godric offered, gently caressing her arms.

"No, you don't have to do that," Liv decided. "Though, if you're going to have some of my blood again, we should decide on a less ambiguous safe word to avoid any confusion or untimely interruptions. Like 'coconuts'."

"'Coconuts' it is," Godric agreed. "I had some Tru Blood earlier, though. You don't have to offer me your blood, Liv."

"I want to. I like that I can take care of you this way," Liv said with a shy smile. "But I don't mean to press it upon you if you're not hungry. It's an open offer."

Godric smiled back at her, a little self-deprecatingly. "I may not be hungry, but I always want your blood, Liv."

"Then would you bite me again?" Liv asked, laughing a little when Godric leaned close and his breath tickled against the sensitive skin of her neck. "And I want to try to touch you, just… I need us to be realistic, okay? We can't expect any miracles."

"I'm not waiting for a miracle. I already found you," Godric replied sweetly, chuckling at her blush. "I know you're nervous, but I promise I will not leave you alone in this and I will keep you as safe as I possibly can, cridiíon imon."

"I think I'd like to know what that means soon," Liv murmured, looking into Godric's warm brown eyes and taking one last deep breath as she slowly raised her hand to hover millimeters from his cheek. "I love you."

The first few moments were heaven. Her mind was blissfully silent and Godric's cheek was cool and smooth; she could feel his smile against her fingertips. Then the images shot like a spear through her head, made her squeeze her eyes shut to force back the tears. She snapped her hand away and curled in against Godric's chest to escape Claudius' touch along her back.

"I shouldn't have asked this of you," Godric said very, very softly as if afraid that a louder voice might hurt her.

"Three seconds of quiet. That's three seconds more than I had dared to hope for," Liv returned, tugging on Godric's arms so that he would close them more firmly around her waist and straightening again. "I want to try again."

"Liv, you have nothing to prove," Godric argued, but didn't evade her touch when she carefully rested her hand against his cheek again.

Liv exhaled slowly, counted out the seconds. One. Two. Three. She gripped Godric's shoulder with her free hand to try to find purchase in the storm of images that assailed her, fragmented scenes at first, single impressions and horrible snapshots, then a longer episode that she desperately tried to dial down before it could overwhelm her completely.

"Look at me," Godric said gently, taking a few deep breaths to encourage her to calm her own breathing and managing to dispel the ghostly hands on her skin with his own loving caress. "Look at me please."

Liv sucked in a harsh breath and snapped her eyes open, finding Godric's worried gaze. She lightly rubbed her thumb over his cheekbone before she leaned in close and timidly placed her lips against Godric's. She had to smile despite everything as she broke the chaste kiss and dropped her hand from his cheek.

"Worth it," she whispered, laughing a little sheepishly when Godric reached out to dry her tears with his shirt sleeve. "I know. But still, worth it."

Godric looked like he couldn't quite agree with that so she dipped down for another light kiss, stealing the argument from his lips. "This – having these few seconds of freedom where I can take your hand or touch your cheek or kiss you…"

"It's worth it," Godric finished for her.

Liv nodded hesitantly. "Is that wrong?"

"No, of course not," Godric said, gently trailing his fingers up and down her arms. "Please believe me that I have come to terms with that chapter of my past a long time ago. I do not need nor want you to feel bad on my behalf."

Liv reached out and brushed her fingers once over the furrowed line of Godric's eyebrows, smiling when no vision was triggered by the brief contact. "Then what's with the frown?"

"I guess I was expecting too much, after all," Godric admitted after a brief moment of deliberation, making her laugh. "I was hoping you would never have to relive my past again."

"There are other moments in your past that I would not mind reliving," Liv offered, hoping to redirect their conversation away from the abuse Godric had suffered before his death. "Like that time when I kissed you."

"Two minutes ago?" Godric asked a little uncertainly, but then laughed at Liv's eager nod. "I wouldn't mind reliving that either."

Liv smiled, yielding to Godric's hands when she was gently tugged forward and once more sealing their lips in a short, sweet kiss that was only the first of many. Godric held her carefully, caressed her through her clothes and returned her kisses with soft pressure, but he also allowed her to set her own pace. She would have thought he was merely humoring her if she hadn't been able to feel the growing bulge against her pelvis.

"You can touch me too. I want you to," she murmured, tracing the tattooed spearheads that peeked like a necklace from under his shirt, breaking contact and starting up again.

"I don't want to trigger a vision," Godric hedged, smiling shyly. "And I'm enjoying your attentions."

"Please," Liv murmured, lightly kissing his cheek, high on his cheekbone, and leaning for a few precious moments into Godric's touch when he placed his hand carefully against the side of her face. "See, I won't break."

"I know," Godric replied with his own special brand of confidence, tenderly squeezing her fingers a fraction of a section after her next kiss and releasing them before they exceeded the three-second mark. Liv whispered a quiet thank you, feeling indescribably lucky to have a partner who was so patient and gentle and sweet with her.

When Godric kissed her neck like he was posing a question, Liv nodded against his head and allowed Godric to lay her down on the blanket. She wove her fingers through Godric's and obligingly tilted her head to the side. A moment later, she heard the snick of his fangs extending, felt the butterfly wings of his lips on her throat and the sharply pleasurable sting of his bite. And she saw nothing but the inside of her own eyelids. She laughed freely, burying her hand in Godric's soft hair and pulling him in for a proper kiss as soon as he had taken a little sip of her blood and retracted his fangs.

"I have no idea why this is happening, but it's amazing. You're amazing," she whispered, feeling the vibrations of Godric's own laugh in his chest, directly against her fingertips. "Please just kiss me so that I can believe that it's real."

Godric obeyed readily.

v---v

Liv carefully lifted the repacked picnic basket onto the counter, good-naturedly shooing Godric off when he tried to help. "I've got this. Why don't you put out the candles in the garden? I'll switch off the lights."

She felt Godric's gentle touch in the small of her back before he disappeared and she was alone in the kitchen. She started to load the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and sort the rest of the food into the fridge, wondering vaguely which of these goodies she should have for breakfast and lunch tomorrow. When she was done she walked back outside and pulled the plugs for the fairy lights from the sockets next to the screen door. In the light of the moon, she could just make out Godric floating lazily in mid-air, gently unravelling the strings from the branches of one of the tall oaks. She watched for a moment, feeling her heart swell with an unspeakable tenderness again, but then shivered in the cool night air and withdrew to the living room.

She fumbled a little to reach the light switch and startled to find that one of the undefined shadows was actually Eric, standing tall and as still as a statue next to the unlit fireplace, staring into nothing.

"Eric?" she called softly, taking a hesitant step further into the living room.

Eric returned to life, something less precise than a shiver going through his body as he turned to Liv with a grin. "Coconuts, huh?"

"I'm allergic," Liv said, approaching Eric and sitting down next to him when he claimed the sofa. "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Eric asked, though to Liv he didn't sound wholly convincing. "The audio version of your rendezvous was very enjoyable, by the way. If you could, maybe include a little more commentary next time and I would give it a B+ for effort."

"You were brooding," Liv pointed out, swallowing down her embarrassment. "In the dark. I don't know, but that seems very uncharacteristic of you."

"It wasn't dark to me," Eric replied, spreading his hands in a gesture of innocent denial before not so smoothly changing the subject, "So I gathered Godric's suggestion was a success. I'd be happy to assist you if you want to verify his theory with me."

"Thank you, I'd like that once Godric is here too," Liv said, ignoring the hand Eric had ostentatiously placed on the upholstery between them. "I can go upstairs if you want some privacy."

"Please stop worrying and go check your phone. It rang earlier," Eric said, indicating vaguely in the direction of the kitchen where she had left it after coming home.

"Do you want a Tru Blood? I could heat up a bottle for you." Liv asked when she was in the open plan kitchen, turning back to look at Eric with her phone in her hand. He was once again staring into nothing, as if his thoughts were a thousand miles away on something less than pleasant, but at her question he glanced up and threw her an incredulous look. She shrugged lightly. "I can't very well offer you tea and cookies. Besides, if you were trying to convince me you're not brooding, you're not doing a very good job."

"There're leaves in your hair," Eric said, huffing in protest when she reached up to touch her head. "No, not there. Come here."

Liv dropped her hand and obediently walked back over to him, sitting down sideways on the sofa with her back towards him, as per Eric's indications. A moment later, she felt his long fingers gently combing through her locks, picking out a leaf here, a twig there.

"Thanks," she whispered, not surprised when Eric didn't reply. She woke her phone instead, seeing one new message from her aunts suggesting a video call the next day around noon, two messages from Hadley and one from her interim boss at the clinic offering her a permanent, modestly paid, full-time position based on her excellent trial period. She sighed quietly, gnawing on her bottom lip as she thought.

"Tell him no," Eric said, apparently having read the message over her shoulder. "I can feel you tense up just thinking about it and you've been a hazard to sleep with ever since you started at the clinic."

"A hazard?" Liv asked surprised, twisting around to look at him.

"You toss and turn and mumble things that upset Godric," Eric said bluntly. "Tell him no. You'll find something else."

Liv sighed again, rubbing her forehead. She squeezed her eyes closed for a second and then forcefully pushed the mute button on the negative voices in her head. "I know, you're right. I can't keep working there, least of all full-time. I was rather upfront with Marc about my issues so I think he'll understand. He seems like an okay guy."

"You should make a point of listening to me from the start and save yourself the headache," Eric advised her, sending her a cheeky grin when she looked up at him.

Liv rolled her eyes, ineffectually pushing at Eric's shoulder before she turned back to her phone and quickly typed out a message to Marc that she appreciated his offer, but that she would have to decline and that she would like to explain her reasons in a personal conversation. Her phone rang before she could even look at the texts from Hadley.

"It's Marc," Liv said, probably unnecessarily as Eric was still so close that he could easily see the caller ID. "Shoot, I'd better get this over with."

She unfolded her legs and got up as she answered the phone, wandering through the living room and down the hallway as Marc pulled out all the stops – from flattery over arguing to begging and emotional blackmail – to try to get her to change her mind. When she finally managed to hang up, with a promise to at least pick up a shift two or three times a week, they were probably both exhausted and at the end of their tether.

She read through Hadley's texts as she walked back to the living room where she found that Godric had finished with packing away the lights and decorations and had joined Eric. He smiled at her when she entered, but there was something in the way he was positioned in front of Eric, who was doing his best to drill a hole into the floor with his stare, that made her think that she wasn't the only one who had noticed Eric's sour mood. She hesitated briefly, but Godric held out his hand with a minute shake of his head and beckoned her closer, placing a light kiss against her forehead when she had made contact.

"That sounded like a tough conversation," Godric murmured, holding her gently against his side. "Are you all right?"

"He's just doing his job." Liv shrugged while simultaneously trying to snuggle closer. "But thank you."

"Are you still cold?" Godric asked with a furrowed brow, gently rubbing her arms and seeming to gage her body temperature. "Would you like some tea? Or a blanket?"

"I'm fine, I just like being in your arms," Liv replied, smiling up at him and reaching up to run her fingers through his mussed hair. "And doing that. I think your hair is getting longer – is that possible?"

"It does grow, just very slowly," Godric explained, twisting a strand of her own dark tresses around his finger. "And it'll never grow longer than it was when we were human."

"So if I wait long enough I'll get to braid Eric's hair after all," Liv said, turning to grin at the taller vampire.

"I told you before, I look great with any hairstyle," Eric said with a weak smirk before he held out his hand again. "Shall we?"

Liv looked to Godric first, trying to ask with her eyes if Eric was really in the right frame of mind to have her poking through his memories. Godric gently nudged her forwards with a small nod and an encouraging smile and so she took a deep breath, met Eric's shadowed eyes, and reached for his hand. One second. She felt herself being pulled down on the sofa, down into a vision.

It took her by surprise, and then again not. Maybe because a part of her had been curious about the cause of Eric's mood, maybe because she hadn't felt in control when Eric had decided that she should sit down. It was a question for later, in any case. First, she had to sort through her vision.

She didn't see Eric or Godric at first, and then everything happened too quickly, too jarringly for her to keep it in perfect order. There was a naked girl who turned into a wolf, a wolf that turned into a girl. An American soldier screaming in pain, speaking soothingly, dead. Godric and Eric dropping from the ceiling. A bayonet pinning the wolf girl to the wall.

"Wir sind doch alle gleich, ihr Idioten,(1)" the girl snarled, her eyes still flashing an eerie orange though she had lost her fur when Godric had stabbed her. She probably wasn't any older than Liv.

Eric stepped forward, a knife in his hand, and pushed her ruffled hair away from her neck to reveal a brand above her collarbone, a lying Z with an additional crossing line. His voice was full of disgust when he spoke, "Nein, wir sind nicht gleich.(2)"

Liv winced, mentally and physically, when he stabbed her, several times, her screams so loud and piercing and hate-filled that Eric had to raise his voice in return, "Wer ist dein Herr?!(3)"

The real Eric had released her hand; she thought she might have snatched it back. She opened her eyes, saw reality and her vision mingle and pass in front of her like a disordered slideshow: Godric's worried eyes; his mouth forming words that were lost to her. Eric's bloody fangs; his bleeding wrist against the girl's mouth. Her own trembling hands; her fingers knotting into Godric's sleeve. The girl's sudden attack; the horrible sound of Godric snapping her neck, to save Eric from being staked; Eric looking wan and lost and guilty as Godric admonished him. Eric still looking lost and guilty as the vision ended and reality reasserted itself with sudden finality.

Liv took a long deep breath, carefully unclenched her fingers from Godric's sleeve and brushed her fingertips over the back of his hand to reassure him, to reassure herself. "You told me about this before. Germany, 1945? It's fine. I'm fine."

Or something close to it. When Godric had told her about some of the darkest moments in his past, this hadn't been the worst thing he had confessed to, not by far. He had made his self-recriminations so early in their acquaintance and in such a way that she suspected he had meant to test her, or more like, scare her off. It had been a lot to take in and she had struggled to reconcile these violent and cruel acts of his past with the gentle and sweet person she knew him to be today. But eventually she had decided that she would do her best not to judge Godric for things that had happened before they had met. She was certain that Godric was putting enough blame on his shoulders without her adding to it.

She hadn't known the details, nothing but the bare skeleton of information that Godric had been affiliated with the Third Reich's Schutzstaffel and had killed a woman in 1945. The last person he had killed. She hadn't known that Eric had been there or that he was probably the main motivation behind Godric's actions; she still didn't know what they had been trying to accomplish. But her concern for Eric outweighed her curiosity and remaining anxiety. Both vampires looked decidedly unhappy about her newest foray into their past, but while Godric had given her a nod of acceptance and lightly rubbed her arm, Eric looked like he had swallowed something that was forcefully and painfully rearranging his insides.

She leaned over to him, catching his eyes. "Hold still," she said, lightly resting her hand on his cheek and placing a soft kiss on his forehead. "I need you to remember something: You're a good man, Eric Northman. You both are. Now, I'm going to get you that Tru Blood and you two are going to talk."

"I don't want to talk about anything," Eric replied, though with a surprising lack of sharpness, and caught her arm before she could draw back completely.

"Not talking about it hasn't made it go away in the last sixty years," Liv pointed out gently. "You could at least give it a try."

She gave her arm a slight tug to indicate that she wanted him to let go and Eric released her immediately, still a little guiltily it seemed. Liv smiled at him, and caressed Godric's shoulder as she passed by on her way to the kitchen. She took her time, heating up water to make a tea for herself and setting it to steep before she grabbed a fresh bottle of Tru Blood and popped it into the microwave for Eric. She hadn't been able to hear their voices from the kitchen, but when she returned to the living room about ten minutes later, they were sitting closer, their heads tilted together and Godric's hand placed tenderly on Eric's neck.

"Jag är ledsen,(4)" Eric whispered, bowing his head further so that his forehead came to rest against Godric's.

"Jag vet," Godric murmured back. "Jag är även ledsen.(5)"

"It wasn't your fault," Eric replied, surprising Liv by suddenly switching back to English even though they must have noticed her coming back. "I should have listened to you."

"You had your reasons," Godric said, running his fingers soothingly through Eric's blond hair. "I was too hard on you. And I killed her before you could get your answers."

"You were worried for me. I can see that now, even if I couldn't at the time," Eric said, drawing back with a sigh. "I don't believe I ever thanked you for saving my life."

"You never had to," Godric answered, a soft smile lifting the corners of his mouth. "I made that choice many lifetimes ago and I have never regretted it. I never will."

That, apparently, was too much pathos for Eric and in the blink of an eye he had left his perch opposite of Godric and appeared in front of Liv, taking the bottle of Tru Blood from her. "That took you long enough. The service really isn't what it used to be around here anymore."

"Cute," Liv replied with a light shake of her head at Eric's grin, trying not to spill her tea when he pulled her into a loose sideway hug and conducted her over to the sofa.

He waited for her to sit down next to Godric before he remarked, "You weren't supposed to have a vision."

It came out a little accusingly, Liv thought, but that was probably Eric's default. She reached out to Godric, lightly running her forefinger across his knuckles, across his palm when he turned his hand, and smiled into the soft kiss Godric placed on her lips.

"You have to allow Liv to be in control," Godric answered for her, tucking her in against his side.

"I didn't expect you to pull me down," Liv added. "I should have asked you not to do that."

"After the last time, I thought it would be better to have you sit down before you could lose your balance," Eric replied defensively.

Liv smiled and shrugged lightly. "Probably a good idea though the implementation was a bit disorienting for me."

"I shall remember that," Eric promised, barely nipping on his Tru Blood before he lowered the bottle again. "And evidently you saw these particular events because I was thinking about them."

"Maybe… or because I was," Liv said, taking out her phone and opening the last message she had received from Hadley and showing it to Godric. "Hadley asked me to ask you what you knew about something called ' _Operation Werewolf_ '."

From what Liv had gathered from Hadley's rather rambling texts, she, Sookie and Jessica had managed to trace Bill's abductors and had found a wrecked car and the body of a man who had had the same brand mark as the werewolf girl in her vision. An internet search had provided them with a connection to the Nazi underground commando _Operation Werewolf_ and an apparently unsatisfactory meeting with Eric had led to Hadley's request for Godric's help.

"It's not Miss Hale who wishes to have that information," Godric said with only a brief glance at the screen. "And I don't think it would be wise to encourage her cousin's curiosity further."

"I already told Sookie what I know of werewolves," Eric added. "Obviously she decided to ignore my warnings and I doubt that she would benefit from what little else I could tell her about this particular pack."

"Okay," Liv agreed, but then shook her head with a sigh. "I understand your reasoning, I do, but your best intentions aside, keeping Sookie in the dark will not keep her out of trouble. Sookie claims she was almost abducted today."

"I heard," Eric said, finally sitting down in one of the sleek armchairs and taking out his own phone. "Bubba has been watching her since nightfall and I will also send someone to accompany her when she inevitably goes around poking her nose where it doesn't belong."

"Alcide Herveaux?" Godric questioned and Eric gave a short nod while his fingers continued to dance over his phone.

The name provoked a flash of a memory, something she had seen, something she had felt, something that made a shiver run down her spine. "Does he own a construction company?"

"Yes," Eric said slowly, looking up at her. "How do you know that?"

"And he drives a dark blue truck with the company logo on the side," Liv added faintly, feeling Godric holding her a little more tightly. "I saw that when Sookie touched me. She's going to find Bill and... I have to warn her."

"Do you believe that you can prevent her death?" Godric asked very, very gently, catching her wrists to still her trembling hands.

"I know I can't. But maybe I can at least prevent her from dying like that," Liv said, looking pleading up at him. "She'll find Bill but he will be in bad shape, unconscious, and she'll try to feed him her blood and…"

"He will drain her," Godric finished for her, sighing quietly at her nod. "Baiting an unconscious vampire with blood is a very stupid thing to do indeed. She should know that already."

"Especially if she intends to marry a vampire," Eric added derisively. "Though Bill seems to have her convinced that his fangs are mere decoration."

They had a point, Liv thought and also wondered what could possibly move Sookie to think, even for just one second, that cutting her own wrist with an unsterilized saw and dripping her blood everywhere was a good way to help a hurt vampire. It probably wasn't fair, though, because despite Godric's words and her own rational assessment she knew with absolute and incontrovertible certainty that in a similar situation he would never hurt her like that.

Godric sighed again, as if reading her thoughts, and lightly kissed the crown of her hair. "Your trust is a dangerous thing. I pray that I never give you a reason to reverse your good opinion of me, Liv."

"You won't," Liv replied with a confident smile and caressed her fingers over his cool, smooth cheek. "You should have a little more faith in yourself… and in my common sense because I do know that these aren't just decoration."

She gently tapped his lips, startling back with a laugh when Godric pretended to snap at her, his fangs flashing and an amused glint in his deep brown eyes. They exchanged grins for a moment before she focused back on the matter at hand. She typed out a few messages to Sookie first, warning her about her vision and reminding her that vampires couldn't be expected to control their hunger when they weren't fully conscious. She also passed on what Godric had told her about the dangers of prolonged and excessive consumption of vampire blood and then asked Eric to repeat the warning he had given the two cousins earlier so that she could use it in her answer to Hadley's query.

"Aren't you curious about Operation Werewolf?" Eric asked when she put down her phone and reached for her cup of lukewarm tea. "About what you saw in your vision?"

Liv took a sip to buy herself some time and order her thoughts. "Did you ever find him? The leader of this werewolf pack?"

"No," Eric answered, a scowl appearing on his face again. "I managed to root out several more partisans but they had no connection to or knowledge of the supernatural. Then the trail went cold again."

"They're not Nazis, are they? You've been looking for them longer than that," Liv guessed.

"Even when I was still human," Eric murmured darkly before he focused back on her. "These are not ordinary werewolves. They're organized, well-funded, highly trained, and fueled by vampire blood. Whoever is controlling them has made them into his perfect attack dogs: fiercely loyal, virtually silent and more vicious than you can imagine."

Liv sighed, snuggling further into Godric's side and feeling immediately safer with his arms wrapped tight around her. "He must be older than you, right? Are there many vampires like that? I thought you two were both at the upper end of the scale."

"There's no official census," Godric said.

"And if there were it would not be a good idea for you to know about it," Eric added pointedly.

"Sorry," Liv murmured.

"No, it's a legitimate question," Godric replied, lightly stroking her back and smiling reassuringly. "You're right that there're only a handful of truly old vampires on this side of the Atlantic. But there're quite a few of us left in the Old World. It's not a simple matter of elimination."

"But you have a new lead now," Liv pointed out, trying to feel optimistic rather than worried at the prospect.

"Don't you want to know why I'm so interested in finding him?" Eric demanded, throwing his phone down on the table in an angry gesture.

"I figure if you wanted me to know – or if there was something I still needed to know - you would tell me," Liv said softly, untwisting from Godric's embrace to reach out to Eric and rest her hand gently on his arm. "Other than that, I just hope you'll be careful and stay safe."

Eric huffed out a breath, looking over Liv's shoulder at Godric and communicating some indecipherable message to his maker before he turned back to her and held out his free hand. "Since you're already sitting down."

Liv resisted the urge to ask if he was sure; Eric wouldn't have made the offer if he wasn't. Instead she tucked her legs into a more comfortable position and waited for Godric to mold himself against her back, one of his hands coming to rest lightly on her belly before she placed her hand on Eric's still outstretched palm.

Nothing. One second. Two. Three. Four. Five. She took a deep breath. Six. Seven. Eight. Exhale. Nine. A flash of a snarling wolf, bared teeth. A bloody sword, fear. She bit back her scream. Eric's broad palm underneath her fingers, his cool fingertips pressing lightly against the sensitive skin of her wrist. He could probably feel her racing pulse. She was sure they could hear it. But her mind was silent again.

"You're not seeing anything," Eric observed, obligingly holding still as she painted along his bluish veins with her fingers.

"I saw a wolf, but just for a second," Liv said, though there was still something bothering her. "Did you hurt your shoulder?"

There was another flash. Fire, a burning city, Eric's shirt sleeve in tatters over his slowly knitting flesh. "No, with a sword."

"There was that one time in Naples," Godric offered, lightly squeezing her fingers when she slid her free hand into his.

"That was a rapier," Eric corrected, but his words were drowned out by the flood of memories that crashed down over her. She pulled back with a wince and curled in on herself, hiding her head between her arms as she tried to brace against the storm. Godric's memories were always worse, dark and twisted and so intimately painful that she knew they would intrude on her peace of mind for days to come, but Eric's memories pushed into the fissures, widened the cracks, too fragmented to make any sense. Teeth and blood, in both sets of memories.

"I probably wouldn't know the difference," she finally mumbled into her knees. "Between a sword and a rapier, I mean."

"A sword has a broader blade," Eric explained, offering her her cup of tea when she looked up. "Here, have some tea."

Liv carefully accepted the cup, having to use both hands to keep it from shaking in her grip. "Thanks."

She hadn't seen the blade. There had been too much blood for that, the snapshot too out of focus and gone too quickly. But she had felt the piercing, piping hot pain in her own shoulder, felt the fear settle over her like a lead blanket.

She took the last few sips of tea though it was cold by now and didn't do much to make her feel better. She put the empty cup down on the glass coffee table, settled back into Godric's too careful embrace and looked to Eric, who was still studying her intently.

"So you saw a wolf, an unrelated shoulder injury, anything else?"

Liv shook her head. "Nothing that made sense. I just… I pushed them away as long as I could. I think maybe I'm not ready to poke at any more painful memories tonight. I'm sorry, Eric."

"Huh, don't be," Eric replied and to Liv it seemed like he actually relaxed a little. "Though I was banking on a hug."

"You can have a hug anytime," Liv said, laughing when she found herself smushed against Eric's firm chest the blink of an eye later. She turned her head sideways so that she could breathe more easily and obligingly slid her arms around his middle, lightly patting his back. "I thought you didn't like hugs."

"You're like a human-shaped stress ball."

"In that case, please don't squeeze me," Liv murmured, eliciting an amused snort from Eric. He squeezed her – lightly – and then released her just as suddenly as he had initiated the hug. She dropped back down next to Godric and reached for his hand.

"Hey, you know, you're not allowed to feel guilty about a decision I made," she said with a teasing smile, breaking skin contact before she could trigger another vision.

"Liv -" Godric started, but she cut him off with a kiss, laughing delightedly when she realized what she had done.

"What -" She kissed him again, making no attempt to hide her grin at his confused frown, peppering soft kisses over the arch of his brow, the bridge of his nose.

"I can do that now," she finally confided with a softer smile. "Make you stop talking with a kiss and brush away your frowns with my fingers and lips." She placed another light kiss on the slowly curling corner of his mouth, caressed her fingertips over the crinkles that appeared next to his eyes. "And you had better believe that I'm going to use it to my full advantage."

Eric snorted. "You've created a monster."

"Don't say that. You're not a monster, Eric," Godric protested immediately and much to Liv's amusement.

"Yes, Eric, don't be so hard on yourself," Liv replied, grinning at the tall vampire's exaggerated eye roll. She rested her weight more fully on Godric's chest and closed her eyes, only listening with half an ear as Eric and Godric hashed out the difference between the idiomatic and literal meaning of that particular turn of phrase. She was out like a light a moment later.

* * *

(1) We're all the same, you idiots.

(2) No, we're not the same.

(3) Who is your master?!

(4) I'm sorry.

(5) I know. I'm sorry too.


	20. Erlkönig

**20\. Erlkönig – Op. 1, D. 328 – Franz Schubert**

There was something almost cathartic about hitting the send button on her application and watching the automatic thank you note flash across her laptop screen a moment later. She should know. It was the third application she had sent out that night while Godric had flitted around her like a supercharged house-elf, sweeping here, dusting there, cleaning this, scrubbing that. She'd offered to help, but Godric had just smiled and told her that he enjoyed doing these menial tasks and then asked her what she wanted for dinner. She had finally convinced him that there were probably enough leftovers in their fridge to feed a small army and certainly enough to quench her own appetite. He had still been disappointed.

"Done," she declared, closing her laptop and looking over to Godric, who had finished with the household chores half an hour ago and was sitting at the kitchen table next to her, quietly reading up on werewolves. "Did you find out anything interesting?"

"You gnaw your lip when you think," Godric answered immediately, closing his latest book, a thick tome with withered pages, bound in leather.

"I meant about werewolves," Liv returned with a fond eye roll, wriggling her toes against Godric's calf.

"I've read them all before. I just thought I might notice some connection I had missed," Godric admitted. "But I don't think there's anything in here that will help us find these werewolves and their master."

"Finding them might not be the problem," Liv remarked, thinking that if Sookie kept being such a magnet for trouble it was only a matter of time till she ran afoul of the next werewolf.

"We've seen these wolves before. We've tracked their movements across continents and centuries," Godric lightly shook his head. "Their master is much more elusive. We never learned more than what the German girl told us in 1945."

There was a part of her that hoped they would never find this puppet master, and, she admitted to herself, it would have been easier and probably safer if that part of her had been stronger. But she had seen how Eric's carefree and happy mask had slipped whenever he thought they weren't looking and though his mind was surprisingly calm when she touched him, seconds and seconds slipping by without any vision, the snippets she did receive were bloody and painful. Whatever had happened was still an open wound for Eric and he wasn't okay. He probably hadn't been for a long time.

"Have you thought about looking for him with more… human methods?" Liv asked, elaborating when Godric seemed interested. "Eric said they were well-funded so there must be financial ties between these werewolves and whoever is commanding them, right? Plus, they must communicate somehow, either meeting in person or via mail or telephone. And these connections all leave a trace."

"Could you trace them? With your computer?" Godric asked, casting a glance at her laptop that was equal parts awe and unease.

"I can't. But Beth has friends in the police force. If you'd like I'm sure we could ask them for some unofficial help. Do you think Eric would agree to that?"

"We can ask him. He's on his way back now," Godric said, his brow furrowing a little. "Something has upset him and he's not alone."

"Do you want me to go?" Liv asked, but Godric was shaking his head before she had even finished her question and what seemed only seconds later, she could hear voices in the living room.

"The queen is here," Godric explained, lightly resting his hand in the small of her back as he steered her towards the living room. "Good evening, your majesty."

"Godric," the queen said in greeting. "And Liv. So good to see you again."

"Good evening," Liv replied absently, most of her attention on Eric, who was pacing angrily, spitting out what sounded like expletives every few steps.

"Oh, yes, the Magister decided to pay us a little visit," Sophie-Anne explained, following her gaze.

"He threatened Pam," Eric snapped, reaching for one of the fire pokers and snapping it clear in half.

"Who is fine by the way," Pam drawled, smoothing down the skirt of her pale pink business costume as she primly sat down in one of the armchairs. "Though, that man sure knows how to suck the fun out of what could have been a very enjoyable evening. I was showing Yvetta the ropes, so to speak."

"Pam," Eric said warningly and Liv was sure he had glanced in her and Godric's direction, even though her eyes were too slow to track the movement.

"Don't I know it," Sophie-Anne agreed with a gusty sigh. "I was imagining pushing a stake slowly through his eyeballs for most of his sermon. And I'm not a violent person." She added the last part as an explanatory aside for Liv.

"I'm glad you're okay, Pam," Liv said, sitting down next to her as Godric went over to Eric.

"It takes a lot more than words to frighten me," Pam replied with a self-satisfied smirk.

"His words weren't meant to frighten **you** ," Eric snapped out though Godric's presence seemed to have calmed him at least a little. "He said that he heard that the loss of a child is the deepest of despair."

Liv inhaled sharply, drawing the attention of all four vampires. "Sorry," she mumbled, pressing her hands against her chest. "That's horrible."

"I'm glad at least someone is taking this seriously," Eric said with another glare for Pam before he sent Liv a chiding look. "Though there's no need to work yourself into a panic."

"Right back at you," Liv murmured gently.

"I'm not panicked. I'm pissed off," Eric corrected, dropping down into one of the armchairs as Godric claimed the seat next to her. "The Magister wants me to deliver Bill Compton to him posthaste on suspicion of dealing vampire blood."

"Your ire is quite misplaced, Mr. Northman," the queen admonished, turning around with a dramatic flare of her metallic blue skirts to return his glare. "Admittedly our business arrangement may have attracted a little too much attention, but we got rid of all the evidence and offered up Bill as a scapegoat. You're welcome for that, by the way."

"Only that we couldn't actually 'offer him up' since he's missing," Eric retorted testily.

"And whose fault is that?" Sophie-Anne demanded in a bored tone of voice. "I told you to keep an eye on him, didn't I."

"I could call Sookie to ask if she has found him by now," Liv offered a little hesitantly, not quite sure she wanted to abuse their burgeoning friendship in such a way.

"Oh, Sookie," the queen huffed out. "So much more annoying than I anticipated. And a very one-track-mind, I must say. I met her yesterday, did Hadley mention that?"

Liv nodded, though an answer seemed hardly required as the queen was already speaking again, "It was very disappointing, actually. If there ever was any fairy blood in her, it's by now too diluted to be of any worth. And her attitude was simply appalling. Why, she didn't even thank me for saving her life."

"You saved her life?" Liv asked carefully when no-one else seemed eager to comment. "Hadley didn't mention that."

"I sent her home before we were attacked. All this pother wasn't good for her… and neither was being around her cousin," Sophie-Anne said and Liv could well imagine that. Hadley had called her more than once in the last couple of days, always upset and often close to tears, because Sookie had been irascible and impatient, full of anger and accusations that Hadley with her sweet and docile nature seemed ill-equipped to handle.

"Yesterday another werewolf tried to abduct Miss Stackhouse. Bubba and the queen intervened," Godric offered, evidently thinking that the queen's reply might not have answered Liv's question. "Your friend wasn't hurt."

"A werewolf from Jackson, Mississippi," Eric added. "So that's where we'll be going to retrieve Bill Compton."

He was looking at Liv as he said it, which frankly made no sense at all. "We?"

"You and I," Eric clarified. "Mississippi is Russell Edgington's kingdom so you might be able to gain some more insights into the queen's future. We should be back by Monday."

Liv threw a quick look at the queen and then pressed her teeth together until it hurt, saying nothing.

"You might as well speak freely," Sophie-Anne offered graciously. "I won't hold it against you."

"Will you hold it against Eric or Godric?" Liv asked, taking the queen's laugh as a 'no' and turning to Eric, whose mood was clearly not improved by her recalcitrance. "Don't you think you should consult me before you decide how I'm going to spend my weekend?"

"I already asked Godric. He said I could borrow you," Eric gave back, doing nothing to soothe Liv's temper, though thankfully Godric spoke up before she could direct her anger at him.

"I told you that I don't have any objections and that I trust you to keep her safe. I believe I also told you that you should ask Liv if she wishes to accompany you," Godric corrected, carefully resting his arm around her shoulders and lightly feathering his fingers over the sleeve of her shirt. It almost immediately made her feel calmer.

"What do you even expect me to do?" she asked, more exasperated than angry. "And how are you going to explain my presence there? Won't they be suspicious if you go on a man hunt with a human in tow?"

"It's always a good idea to pack lunch," Eric replied with a toothy smirk that only grew wider at Liv's eye roll. "Let me worry about that, Liv. We just need you to find out how Russell will die."

Liv couldn't help but think that Eric wouldn't be using the word "just" if he had any idea what they were asking of her.

The queen sighed heavily but with a surprising lack of theatrics, meeting Liv's troubled gaze with one of her own. "I still cannot comprehend why I would ever marry that misogynistic, misanthropic, misbred prick Russell Edgington, but if my impending marriage has anything to do with my impending death, I need to know how he will die so that I can change the course of my future. I would consider it a personal favor if you helped me with this."

She was hiding her panic well, but it was still there like a dangerous undercurrent, ready to sweep away her carefully constructed façade of poised nonchalance at the slightest provocation. Liv felt her own resolve crumble at the queen's unexpected vulnerability.

"I can't promise anything," Liv cautioned with another sigh, snuggling into Godric's gentle hold. "And asking me beforehand would have been a nice gesture. But if it's important to you, of course I'll help. I can cancel my plans."

"I'm sure Godric will understand if you postpone your next tête-à-tête by a few days to help our queen," Eric said sarcastically though his anger seemed to have mellowed as well.

"I was going to meet Mel and Matt for coffee and a movie on Sunday," Liv corrected, elaborating when Eric didn't seem to recognize the names, "We met them outside your club, remember?"

"Don't cancel yet. I'll try to have you back by then," Eric offered in a conciliatory tone.

"Thank you," Liv said. "Though, maybe you would allow me to see if my vision has changed already, your majesty?"

"Of course, yes," Sophie-Anne replied almost eagerly, offering Liv her hand. "Eric tells me that you have a bit more control over your abilities if you choose to initiate the contact yourself. I'm glad to hear that."

"I might still scream," Liv warned, sitting up from her comfortable slump against Godric and reaching for the queen's hand. "I apologize in advance."

v---v

Eric carefully lowered her to the ground, his arms remaining around her waist to balance out her shaky legs, though his focus was completely taken up by the guards who had surrounded them, all big, brawny men, dressed in black t-shirts that showed off their impressive muscles. They looked human, though, and Liv briefly wondered how they were expected to stand a chance against a vampire of Eric's caliber.

In any case, Eric seemed to be in an accommodating mood. He calmly stated his name and title and requested an audience with the king, only offering a token protest when the guards insisted on the necessity of escorting them to the main house, an ostentatious multistory building with Roman arches and a Byzantine dome. But when one of the guards reached out to Liv, probably with the intention of jostling her forward with a well-placed shove between her shoulder blades, he flashed his fangs, intercepted the offending hand and hissed that she was very much off limits. It was strangely touching.

"I told you this is completely unnecessary," Eric was saying as they were conducted up a short flight of stairs and into a pristine foyer with a marbled floor and Corinthian columns. "I come in peace."

"Hello. Have we met?" The slow, lilting voice belonged to a handsome vampire with dark eyes, curly black hair and a pouty mouth. He was mustering Eric with avid eyes, looking him up and down as if he had just decided what he wanted for Christmas, and if possible well before that.

"Eric Northman, sheriff, Louisiana Area 5. I've come to see the king," Eric replied with a promising little smirk that looked almost sincere.

"Talbot, royal consort. Permit me to facilitate," the other vampire said, smiling pleasantly before he called out Russell's name over his shoulder and admonished the guards to release Eric. Unfortunately, since she was then no longer shielded from view by the hulking bodies of the king's guards, he also noticed Liv for the first time. "And what's this? Did you bring us a present?"

"I'm sorry to say that this human is already taken," Eric informed him, looking truly a little chagrined. "It's a rather delicate matter that brings me here, to be honest. Perhaps you would allow me to explain the purpose of my visit once the king has arrived?"

"Of course, of course. How terribly rude of me!" Talbot replied, flashing Eric another charming smile. "Please follow me. Can I offer you something to drink while we wait? Perhaps a glass of our Romanian vintage? Very aromatic and cruelty-free of course, if that should be a concern to you."

"I do find that the tang of fear rather detracts from the flavor," Eric answered easily.

"So true," Talbot gushed, smiling admiringly again before he continued on with a slight pout, "I wish Russell saw it the same way, but I'm afraid he has very little appreciation for the subtlety of different aromas. Most of the time he's a gluttonous philistine."

"I wouldn't presume to agree to such a statement before even making the king's acquaintance. But I daresay he showed impeccable taste in his choice of consort," Eric replied and if he hadn't warned her to be exceedingly and excessively polite and subservient while they were under Russell Edgington's roof, Liv might have been tempted to roll her eyes at such a saccharine compliment.

Instead she quietly sat down when Eric told her to, in a chair that was placed apart from the large dining table in one of the corners. Eric and Talbot took seats at the table, which was decked out as if for a multi-course meal; fresh flowers were tastefully arranged in a delicate vase in the middle of the dark polished wood and the eight-arm chandelier overhead sent sparkles dancing over the crystal tumblers, flutes and glasses.

She had an almost perfect view of the dining hall and the two double doors that connected the room to the foyer and presumably to the kitchen, but she still missed Russell Edgington's entrance. In the blink of an eye, Eric had risen to his feet and inclined his head respectfully to the much shorter vampire who had appeared at the head of the table, rather inappropriately dressed in a shimmering bathrobe and a towel slung around his neck. Liv thought that Talbot looked decidedly unhappy about his appearance, in either sense of the word. He had clearly enjoyed having Eric's charming company all to himself.

"Ah, Sheriff Northman, of course," Russell said jovially, waving Eric back into his seat and sitting down himself. "I've heard good things about you. What brings you to our humble abode?"

"Russell, please," Talbot interrupted before Eric could answer, throwing the other vampire a chiding look. "Surely we can offer our guest an enjoyable meal and some light conversation before you bring your work to the table, again?"

"Of course, darling. If it's that important to you," Russell replied with an air of indulgent long-suffering, throwing Eric a conspiratorial wink and ignoring Talbot's glare.

Liv didn't envy Eric his position between these two as they seemed to be engaged in a long-waging, not very subtle marital spat, but still managed to interrogate Eric about everything from his motives for this visit to his shoe size. They didn't pay her any attention, as if she were no more relevant than the Renaissance paintings on the wall or the Persian carpet on the floor. Truth be told, it was a relief, though she felt her body go tense from the prolonged need to sit still and be quiet. Eric had been very clear about that: Be quiet. Don't draw attention to yourself. Do exactly what I tell you to do. Trust me. The last order was the easiest one to follow.

"I humbly request permission to hunt your territory for the vampire missing from my area," Eric said, inclining his head slightly to the king.

Liv had lost count of how many different types of blood they had been served so far, but it seemed to her that they might be nearing the end of the meal at last, with long-stemmed cocktail glasses full of a "fruity potation with hints of vanilla," according to Talbot, who had offered a little introduction to every course.

"I appreciate your courtesy, Eric," Russell drawled in some kind of approximation of a Southern accent. "It's very old-world."

"Nobody has manners anymore. It was all so beautiful once," Talbot bemoaned with another deep look directed not at his partner but at Eric.

"Your fugitive, what's his name again?" Russell questioned.

"Bill Compton." Russell lightly shook his head in denial. "I'm responsible for him, and her majesty the queen has tasked me with his retrieval. I'm ashamed to admit it, but he's wanted for selling vampire blood."

"Oh, no, no," Russell said, leaning forward while Talbot sadly shook his head. "That's heinous. Are you sure?" Eric made a sound of agreement and gave a small nod, but before he could say something in reply, Russell had already continued. "Let's ask him."

Liv snapped her head to the doorway, despite her best intentions. Bill looked even more brooding than she remembered, dark and angry, but very much alive, or undead as the case may be. Sookie would be happy to hear that, at least.

"Voilà," Talbot said with a flourish, though his gaze had lost its flirtatious sheen. "He's not missing, and he's way too square to deal V."

Eric carefully leaned back in his chair and folded his napkin into a neat square, placing it down next to his plate. He cast a glance at Bill, a quick assessment, nothing more, and then took a sip from his cocktail glass.

"You tried to pin that on me?" Bill asked, resting one hand casually on the back of one of the chairs and smirking as if he was sure of his victory.

"We all know it's your queen behind this, Northman," Russell said easily and Eric swiveled around to face him as credible surprise washed over his features.

"And that you did the selling for her," Bill added with an air of schadenfreude.

"Your majesty…" Eric said, raising one hand to ward of the king's next words and asking for a moment to gather his thoughts, though Liv knew that this had to be at least amongst the scenarios he had considered for this evening.

Godric had made sure that Eric had calculated and prepared strategies for all eventualities before he had allowed them to embark on this mission. It had been strangely titillating and certainly very reassuring to watch them in their little war council, bouncing off ideas, finishing each other's sentences and mostly seeming to understand each other without words. Sophie-Anne, who had been disappointed but overall understanding when Liv's vision of her death had not changed in any significant way, had also offered some suggestions before she had taken her leave.

"I must confess I'm offended by these insinuations," Eric finally said. "May I trouble you for an explanation of how you reached this absurd conclusion?"

"Why, of course," Russell exclaimed gleefully. "You see, Mr. Compton has accepted a position in my court and therefore keeps nothing from me."

"Nothing but the truth it seems," Eric replied icily, straightening his shoulders and looking suddenly a lot less amiable than he had all throughout dinner. "Or has he mentioned that he allowed drainers to take his blood? That the uptick in the selling of vampire blood coincides suspiciously with his arrival in my area? That since then five vampires have found their true deaths, at least one of them at his hand?"

If Eric had talked to her with such cold anger in his voice, Liv would have been cowering in fear and begging for mercy, and Bill's bravado also seemed to be flaking further and further with every point Eric made.

"You're twisting the facts. I was attacked by drainers – they silvered me," Bill protested. "And…"

"Frankly, Bill, I don't care. Save your explanations for the Magister – he's very eager to meet you again," Eric interrupted him with a small, malignant smirk at the look of horror on Bill's face. "Besides, I saw the silver they used." Eric snorted disparagingly before he turned to Russell to elaborate, "A chain so thin a woman might wear it as a necklace. Of course, it's been a while since I was as young a vampire as Bill here, but even his newly turned child could have gotten out of those restraints."

"Oh, he's never mentioned a child, has he, darling?" Talbot asked, clearly enjoying this new development. "Perhaps, Mr. Compton has not been as forthcoming as he would have us believe."

"Yes, it seems, Mr. Compton, that you still owe us some answers," Russell said with relish. "Sit down."

Bill obeyed, though with obvious reluctance, sitting down two chairs down from Eric and throwing the blond vampire another baleful glare. Eric just took another sip of his blood cocktail.

"Your majesty, surely you must see this as the desperate attempt to discredit me that it is," Bill started, trying to sound more confident than he could comfortably pull off. "I told you about the queen's financial difficulties."

"Financial difficulties?" Eric demanded as if this was the first time he had heard those words.

"Trouble with the IRS, or so he claims," Talbot offered helpfully, topping up Eric's glass.

Eric smiled in thanks, taking another small sip. "The IRS. Well naturally her majesty was a bit… displeased by their demands, but you will be happy to know that her arrears have been settled – and without either of us having to resort to such a juvenile scheme."

He turned to Russell, leaning forward slightly and once again assuming a more subservient posture. "Your majesty, please forgive me if I speak out of turn, but even in the short period of time that Bill has been living in my area he has shown a deplorable lack of loyalty towards his own kind: defying my orders and those of his queen, even killing one of our brethren… I fear that his infatuation with the human girl he has claimed for himself far surpasses any sense of allegiance he might possess."

"Why, that is an interesting point," Russell drawled with a dangerous smile. "We've raised the topic of your human before, haven't we, Mr. Compton? I remember you became quite agitated."

"Unfortunately, he seems to be completely besotted with her," Eric agreed pleasantly.

"And even if it were so, it would still be better than pining after another vampire's human," Bill snapped, his teeth still human, but only just.

Eric shrugged nonchalantly. "Liv is a pleasing young woman and I'm reasonably fond of her, but anything beyond that is – again – a figment of your imagination."

"I thought Bill's human was called 'Sookie'?" Talbot commented, his face furrowed in confusion. "Who's Liv?"

Eric waved vaguely in her direction without even turning to look. "She belongs to Godric, my maker, but he was kind enough to let me borrow her for this trip."

Liv did not appreciate his wording any more in hostile territory – and that was very much what it felt like – than she had in the safety of their home with Godric's calm presence to soothe her nerves. But she reminded herself of the rules Eric had set out for her and did her best not to startle too obviously at suddenly being noticed.

"And why would you need to do that?" Bill asked, regaining some of his boldness and giving Liv a very bad feeling that she wouldn't like where this was going. "Perhaps you were planning to use her to spy on the king." He turned to Russell, trying to lean closer which just looked awkward with so much space between them. "I don't know what she is, your majesty, but she can foretell death – even ours."

"Maybe haute cuisine doesn't agree with him?" Talbot asked seriously, looking truly a little worried about Bill's mental state. If Liv hadn't been so busy faking her own confusion, she was sure she would have found it hilarious.

"Mr. Compton, I must say you're not helping your case with these wild claims," Russell said, absently patting Talbot's hand while looking chidingly at Bill as if he took Bill's failure as a personal disappointment.

"Eric may have outmaneuvered me with the rest of his defamations, but this, I can prove," Bill insisted triumphantly. "She can't control or hide her abilities: whenever she makes skin contact with someone she's thrown into a vision."

Eric sighed, less than impressed, and then snapped his fingers at Liv. "Come here."

He held out his hand expectantly and Liv knew better than to hesitate. She got up, ignoring the slight lethargy of her muscles, walked the few steps to Eric's side and lightly placed her hand in his. She felt herself relax. This part of the plan she knew. They had spent close to an hour – with breaks in between – testing her abilities, timing how long she could comfortably bear skin contact with Eric without descending into a vision and practicing when and how Eric could reciprocate.

Eric released her hand after exactly twelve seconds, slung his arm around her waist instead and maneuvered her to fall sideways into his lap, facing towards Bill and with her back towards Russell. She allowed herself a moment to get used to her new position as her heart returned to its regular rhythm.

"So, Liv, what can you tell me about my death?" Eric asked sarcastically, allowing Liv to trail her fingers over the cool skin along the edge of his V-neck shirt. "Bill so wants to know."

Liv started to speak, but had to clear her throat, realizing that she was feeling a little parched. "Only what Godric told me: You were wounded in battle and he turned you."

"What a coincidence!" Talbot exclaimed excitedly. "Russell made me a vampire after he found me dying on the battlefield as well."

Eric sent him a smile, absently reaching for his glass of water that had been served to cleanse their palates between each course and held it out to Liv.

"May I?" Liv asked, looking to Talbot for permission. She had gotten the impression that this wasn't a very human-friendly household and she would rather not incur Talbot's wrath for daring to touch his fine crystal glasses without his say-so.

Talbot conceded her request with a gracious wave of his hand before addressing Eric once more. "She's delightfully well behaved, isn't she? Such a rarity nowadays to find a human who knows their place."

"Yes, she's been a lucky strike for us," Eric agreed, returning the glass to the table after Liv had taken a sip. "Though, sadly for Bill, she's not a fortune teller."

"I don't… I don't understand," Bill admitted, confusion overriding his anger for a moment before he was on the attack again. "Then why would you bring Godric's human with you?"

"Well, I could hardly expect you to be so obligingly easy to find, could I?" Eric asked sarcastically. "And Liv, as we established, is a very amiable young woman and has made fast friends with your Sookie. I thought that might come in handy. In fact, let me see your phone, Liv. It rang earlier."

The explanation hadn't been for her, but for Russell and Talbot, who seemed less and less inclined to take Bill's side in this altercation. It was a good sign, she supposed, and she could only hope that all of it would be over soon, preferably before this version of Eric could turn into an even bigger jerk. She had to twist awkwardly to get the phone from her back pocket and then held it so that Eric could see.

"Ah, a missed call and a text message from Sookie," Eric said gleefully, taking her phone and unlocking it. "Let's see. Oh, this is interesting: Sookie writes that you just broke up with her. And apparently you've reunited with your maker? How fascinating. I always thought you and Lorena were a perfect match, so I'm guessing congratulations are in order."

Talbot barked out a laugh before he quickly covered his mouth with his hand to contain his amusement and sent Bill a vaguely apologetic look. Then he winked at Eric. Bill looked a bit like he was suffering from diarrhea and was desperately trying to hold it in.

"And you needed to drag Godric's human with you across state lines when you might just as well have taken her phone?" Bill demanded, seemingly as a last attempt to sway the tide.

"You're very stuck on the fact that she's Godric's. He wouldn't mind sharing if I asked," Eric replied dismissively before turning to Russell. "Though, truth be told, your majesty, I had another motive for bringing her with me. Have you heard about the… incident in Texas?"

"Dreadful, barbaric," Russell said, leaning forward conspiratorially. "I understand your maker was involved."

"Unfortunately, yes. He lost several of his underlings in the explosion and was forced to resign his position as sheriff. I offered him a new home in my area of course, and Queen Sophie-Anne has graciously accepted him into her queendom, but I fear he has taken the whole story rather to heart."

He paused for dramatic effect, and Liv wished she could clap her hand over his mouth to stop him from revealing any more private details about Godric's state of mind, though no doubt Godric had given his approval for this as well.

"Liv has been good for him, cheering him up, distracting him from his darker thoughts. She's even quite amusingly protective of him." Eric continued, patting her leg as if gentling a horse while they had a good laugh at her expense. "Godric is absolutely smitten with her. He's even contemplating bringing her over when the time is right."

Talbot seemed suitably impressed by that though Liv did her best to blend them all out, hiding her face against Eric's shoulder. It only served to amuse them further.

"Then what seems to be the problem?" she heard Russell ask and despite herself she was curious about what Eric might answer. He sighed and Liv felt herself go tense, her whole body tightening to brace for the next blow while her heart pounded away in her chest.

"Godric has become very susceptible to her charms," Eric finally offered, with seeming reluctance. "And despite all her merits, she's still very human, with very human moralities…"

"You're worried for him," Talbot said understandingly.

"He's my maker," Eric answered simply, lightly squeezing her knee to make her start breathing again. "And after what happened in Dallas…"

"You feel it will be safer to limit his exposure to these human ideas," Russell concluded for him. "He's always been a little odd, from what I've heard."

"He would take that as a compliment," Eric replied and Liv could hear the fondness in his voice, even if the others couldn't. "I hope her presence here is not too much of an inconvenience."

"Oh, no, not at all," Russell assured him generously. "You were right to say that she's very pleasing. Have you tasted her?"

"I've not had the pleasure yet, but Godric tells me she tastes just as delicious as she smells," Eric confided before returning the conversation to Bill and his supposed misdeeds, once more stating that he was acting on the queen's behalf and that the facts militated against him.

Russell hummed in thought. "You make a compelling case, Mr. Northman."

"What else can I do to convince you, your majesty?" Eric asked. "My queen expects me to complete this task and I don't intend to disappoint her."

"No, no, no, we wouldn't want Sophie-Anne to be disappointed," Russell agreed, tapping his chin in thought and ignoring Talbot's disparaging snort. "In fact, just the opposite."

"Yes, my queen has mentioned your… interest," Eric offered cautiously. "I daresay she would be more inclined to see the advantages of your proposal if you were to assist us in this matter."

"Your majesty, you gave me your word!" Bill said, rattling the dishes as he got up abruptly and garnering a reproachful look from Talbot.

"Do calm yourself, Mr. Compton," Russell admonished him with a sigh before turning back to Eric. "You mentioned the Magister?"

"Yes, your majesty," Eric confirmed. "He's very interested in finding – and punishing – the vampire responsible for selling our blood to humans. I'm afraid that during our last encounter the Magister even challenged the queen to produce the culprit or suffer the consequences herself. I hope you now understand my urgency."

"Such temerity!" Talbot bemoaned with a shake of his head, though he had seemed mostly bored or annoyed at any mention of Sophie-Anne.

Liv heard a chair scrape behind her and though she didn't turn around to see, she suspected that Russell had stood up from the way the other vampires adjusted their eyes upwards.

"The Magister is a nasty little... anachronistic toad, a ridiculous remnant of the Middle Ages. The only power he has over us is the power we give him," his words were full of disgusted anger, pressed out between clenched teeth. "There may be a way to solve all our problems… Darling, why don't you show Mr. Compton back to his room and make sure he has everything he needs to stay the day? We shall adjourn this issue for tomorrow. You will of course also be our guest, Sheriff."

"You're more than welcome," Talbot added, recovering a bit of his enthusiasm.

"How can I refuse?" Eric said with a gracious smile, the corner of his mouth quirking up a little mischievously - and then she was sliding, falling, hitting the floor with a resounding smack that rattled all her bones and stole her breath, sent her heart racing.

"Oh my, here, allow me to help you up." A hand appeared in her line of sight and she recognized Russell's voice. It did not help her heart to slow down and she hesitated despite herself. "I don't bite – well, not in this case."

Russell chuckled, amused at his own wit, and Liv steeled herself, slipped her hand into his and felt herself being pulled to her feet, even as the world around her slowed almost to a standstill and images started to flash before her eyes.

It was dark, despite the small fire that cast weak, flickering light over the stone walls. A cave, maybe. It smelled like wet stone, a strange echo to every sound, every shouted accusation, every enraged scream. They were the same height, had the same built, the same hair, the same high forehead and beak nose. But they comported themselves differently. Russell was spitting with anger, threatening and belligerent, while the other man was trying to appease him, apologetic, almost afraid. Then they were no longer arguing, but fighting, wrestling each other until the other man threw Russell off with a sudden burst of inhuman strength. Russell crashed against the cave wall, his head impacting with the cold stone. He slid down in an uncoordinated heap, his eyes out of focus, blood trickling from his hairline.

The other man appeared distraught, full of remorse, panicked. Barely managing to talk around his fangs. And she knew what was coming next even before a look of resolve briefly obscured the fear on the other man's face and he kneeled down next to Russell, reaching for his wrist. As he decided to save his brother's life against his better knowledge.

She managed to pull out of her vision just in time to meet Russell's deceptively mild gaze. She carefully tugged her hand free, hoping he would attribute her pounding heart to a simple case of nerves and not to her realization that she was looking into the eyes of a psychopath.

"Thank you, your majesty. But where is Eric?" she asked very softly, glancing around but not seeing the tall vampire anywhere. It sent another surge of panic through her body.

"Not to worry, my dear. He's merely having a private chat with our Mr. Compton," Russell replied pleasantly before turning to Talbot. "She really is quite exquisitely responsive, isn't she?"

"Mhm, very enticing. And what's this I smell? Can it be… innocence?" Talbot sniffed delicately, leaning towards her. Liv had to resist the urge to take a leaping step back. "How curious."

"I was surprised myself." Eric was suddenly behind her again. "It's such a rarity nowadays to find a woman with her virtue still intact. Godric was elated, of course. He's intent to savor it for a while longer before he plucks her flower."

His words wiped out most of Liv's relief at having him back at her side and made way for a sense of helpless anger that these three thought entitled to discuss her like a price pig. Eric had definitely gotten off easy with the apology he had pre-issued at Godric's request. She craned her head, catching a brief glance of a sullen looking Bill between two black-clad guards, before she looked up to meet Eric's eyes. He grinned at her and she quickly lowered her gaze before she could give into the temptation of glaring at him.

Eric just laughed. "Ah, it seems I've finally stretched her good will to the limit. I'd better get her to bed before she decides to tell Godric all about my misdeeds. Would you mind showing me where we might rest during the day, Talbot?"

Russell and Talbot chuckled once more, commenting how a little feistiness would only spice things up in the long run and asking Eric to pass on their congratulations to Godric for picking such a "fine specimen". She was one hundred percent done with this night and Mississippi vampire royalty.

"Follow me," Talbot finally said. "I know just where to put you."

"Thank you," Eric answered graciously. "Your majesty, I think Bill might need some further incentives to stay put during the day. If it's not too much trouble, maybe some of your guards might like to keep him company."

"Excellent idea, Sheriff," Russell answered jovially. "Naturally we want all our guests to enjoy a good day's rest without any undue disturbances."

Eric inclined his head, thanking the king once more, and then gently lay a hand between Liv's shoulder blades to steer her along after Talbot, who was already in the foyer, sending maids and servants scurrying in every which direction. Liv made only a moderate effort to hide her unease and Eric dropped his hand before they had even reached the grand staircase. He focused back on their host instead, listening seemingly attentively to Talbot's charming history lesson about the mansion's décor and his amusing anecdotes of previous guests.

When they finally reached their room she barely waited for Eric to wave her inside before she was slipping past the two vampires. She moved to the corner farthest away from the door, turned her back on them and clenched her hands into fists so tight that her fingernails bit into her palms. It helped, if only a little.

What was probably a few minutes later, she heard the door close and Eric softly called her name. She turned around reluctantly, feeling her heart slam against her ribcage again when she found Eric stood just behind her. "For fuck's sake, Eric," she cursed, squeezing her eyes shut when they started to burn with helpless tears.

"Hush, don't do that," Eric murmured, awkwardly patting her shoulder, but dropping his hand immediately when she curled away from his touch.

"I swear if I hear one more order out of your mouth today, I'm going to scream," Liv whispered fiercely, angrily swiping at her wet cheeks and noticing that her hands were trembling.

Eric was silent for a moment, even the tips of his shoes looking uncomfortable with the situation, which offered Liv at least a modicum of vindication. "Perhaps you would like to take a shower?" he finally suggested, as carefully as if he was trying to lure a rabbit.

Liv nodded, but avoided Eric's gaze as she slipped past him again and into the opulent bathroom. She pulled the door closed behind her and tried to get a grip. She wasn't angry at Eric, not really. He had warned her, of course, and so had Godric, but the reality of being treated like a lesser person, a pet, an object, still left her feeling dirty… violated.

v-v

"Liv?" Eric's voice was accompanied by a soft knock on the bathroom door. "I have some sleepwear for you."

"Okay," she called back, wrapping one of the huge fluffy towels around herself and opening the door. Eric was standing on the other side - though he seemed to have taken Liv's earlier reaction into account and had left a respectful distance between them – with a hesitant smile and a white monstrosity in his hands.

"What's that?" Liv asked, only growing more skeptical when Eric shook out the garment to reveal a very old-fashioned nightgown that looked large enough to swallow her whole, with additional frills, tiny pearl buttons and a sewn-on blouse collar.

"It's either that or a negligée," Eric offered with a fleeting smirk. "I wouldn't mind that either, of course, but I thought you might be more comfortable in this. This style used to be all the rage in the Victorian era, you know?"

"Eric, do you really think I want a history lesson right now?" Liv asked, holding out her hand for the sleeping gown. "I'll be out in a minute."

After Eric had handed it over she pulled the bathroom door closed again and quickly dried off before reluctantly slipping the offensive garment over her head. It was too large on her, like a voluminous, shapeless sack that bunched at her wrists and fell over her toes, forcing her to gather the skirt so that she could walk. It made her feel like a child.

Eric, obviously, found it more amusing than she did, barely hiding his grin when she came out of the bathroom and nearly tripped over the seam of the gown. She gave him credit for at least trying to tone down his amusement when he saw her unhappy face. "I didn't know you cared about fashion."

"I do when it makes me look like a…

"… virgin sacrifice?" Eric offered helpfully.

"I was going to say 'like a child', but thank you for bringing that up again," Liv replied sarcastically, but then sighed softly at her own snappish tone. "I'm sorry, Eric. I just…"

"It's all right," Eric assured her and after a brief moment of hesitation he loosely settled his arms around her trembling frame, gently pulling her in against his chest when she didn't protest. "You're all right, now. Please don't start crying again, it makes me very uncomfortable."

Liv chuffed out a breath, looking up at Eric with a rather fond eye roll. "Over a thousand years old and that's the best you can come up with?"

Eric grinned at her, leaning down to whisper in her ear, "Not at all. I usually advise people to imagine me naked. Works like a charm."

"Of course you do," Liv replied with another roll of her eyes, resting her cheek back against Eric's chest, but winced in pain when Eric tried to pull her in tighter. "Sorry. It's bruised."

"Why is your back bruised?" Eric asked almost threateningly. "Did one of them touch you?"

Liv looked at him silently for a moment, waiting to see if Eric would make the connection on his own. "You pushed me off your lap."

"I didn't push you," Eric protested immediately, though with a slightly guilty look in his eyes. "Bill was trying to escape and I had to react quickly."

"Right," Liv said slowly. "Well, maybe you can understand that it looked a little different from my perspective."

"How badly are you hurt?" Eric asked, swiftly changing tactics and turning Liv around by the shoulders.

"I'll survive. And I'm not showing you my backside, bruised or otherwise, Eric," Liv replied, slightly miffed at being manhandled again.

Eric released her shoulders so that she could turn back around, a complicated expression on his face. "Godric will be upset if I don't bring you back in mint condition. He wouldn't want you to be in pain."

Liv sighed, recognizing that Eric was once again using Godric as a shield for his own emotions. "I really am fine and for the record, I wouldn't tell on you to Godric – I'd go to Pam. She's far more vicious than the two of you combined."

Eric threw back his head with a quick, honest laugh, grinning happily at her. "She really is delightfully ruthless, isn't she? Maybe I should ask her to give you lessons…"

"I don't think having as much bite as Pam is advisable if you don't have fangs to back up your attitude," Liv said cautiously, earning herself another flash of Eric's pearly whites.

"It's almost sunrise," Eric then noted. "Why don't you check your phone while I get changed for bed?"

"Is it too late to call Godric?" Liv asked.

"You can try, but you should check your messages first. I want to know if there's anything interesting," Eric replied with a rather significant look to quell her nascent irritation and then disappeared into the bathroom.

She had to dig through her discarded clothes to find her phone and by the time she had found it her feet had frozen to two blocks of ice against the cold stone floor so she hastened towards the huge four-poster and snuggled underneath the heavy royal blue covers before she opened her messages.

There were several from Eric, just like she had expected:

//The room is not sound-proof, so it's best if we do not speak too openly.//

//You did very well today and I appreciate your forbearance. You exceeded my expectations.//

//Feel free to apply my apology to anything that upset you.//

//Thank you for your trust. I will do my best not to squander it.//

Liv sighed softly, glancing at the bathroom door, but Eric seemed to be taking his time. She appreciated Eric's messages, as vague and tenuous as they were, but it didn't really help her to feel more comfortable with the situation as a whole. She shelved these thoughts for later, at least wanting to try to call Godric before he went to sleep.

The phone only rang five times before Godric picked up, which was a new record for him. "Hello, Liv?"

"Hi," she replied, a smile curling her lips despite everything. "Eric said I could call you. Are you somewhere safe?"

"I'm downstairs, yes," Godric replied. "Are you all right, Liv?"

"I miss you," Liv admitted with a quiet sigh, leaning back into her pillows and grimacing when the move put pressure on her bruises. "And I'm glad Eric's here with me."

"Did something happen?" Godric asked worriedly.

"Nothing really," Liv replied softly. "They just… I don't think they have much respect for humans. Or women, for that matter."

"That says a lot more about them than it does about you," Godric answered after a brief pause. "You're wonderful, cridiíon imon, and anyone who doesn't realize that is an idiot in my book."

"And I think you're wonderful for saying that," Liv replied with a slight smile, glancing up when she heard the bathroom door; Eric slipped into bed next to her a moment later. "Besides, they really didn't do anything to me. The king even offered me a hand up when I fell." It was her turn to send Eric a significant look.

"Why did you fall?" Godric asked, sounding less than reassured by her statement.

"A slight miscommunication between Liv and I," Eric answered while his eyes remained fixed on Liv, "You accepted his help?"

"It seemed impolite to refuse," Liv said as evenly as possible.

"So I take it that Bill's theory was proven wrong once again?" Eric asked lightly, adding for Godric's benefit: "He tried to shift the focus off of his own crimes by claiming that Liv is some sort of psychic who can see our deaths."

"The queen will be pleased that you found Mr. Compton so quickly," Godric replied a little too evenly. "And I will be pleased when he has to face the consequences of his actions."

"I still don't understand how he thinks that would be a useful ability to have," Liv murmured, playing along with their charade. "Especially when dealing with vampires. You all died a long time ago."

"He seems to be a very troubled vampire," Godric remarked mildly.

"His betrayal runs even deeper than we suspected," Eric said, offering Liv his own phone as he launched into a quick retelling of the night's events, mingled with his version of Bill Compton's crimes.

Liv took the offered device and, feeling awkward with her own phone pressed to her ear while Godric and Eric were having a conversation of their own, handed her phone over to Eric so that she could look at the unsent message Eric had left open for her.

//No news for Sophie-Anne?//

She backspaced until Eric's question was gone and then typed out her own response. //Not unless she's interested in how he was made a vampire.//

She held the phone out to Eric again, accepting hers in return when Eric made the switch a moment later.

"Would you please assure Godric that I've kept you safe and sound and that he need not come to your rescue?" Eric sounded long-suffering, but when he turned his phone towards her again, she could see a new message on the screen: //Are you all right?//

"I'm fine, please stop worrying," Liv said into her phone, imagining the unhappy expression Godric was surely sporting. "You know I can't kiss away your frown over the phone."

"I'll stop worrying when you're back in my arms," Godric answered in all seriousness before adding a little more lightly, "And I hope you'll still want to kiss me when I'm not frowning."

"Even more so," Liv declared with a smile and ignored Eric's snort, but then did a double take when the blond vampire yawned widely. "I think it's time for bed, for all of us, but I'm glad I got to talk to you."

"So am I," Godric replied, pausing before he added hopefully, "You could call me again tomorrow evening. If I can't wake with the taste of your lips on mine, I'd like to hear your voice before I have to start the night."

"Then I'll call you tomorrow," Liv promised in a whisper. "Goodnight, Godric. I love you."

"Sleep tight, cridiíon imon," Godric replied softly. "Goodnight, Eric, take care."

"Of course," Eric said and pulled her gently against his chest after she had cut the connection and placed her phone on the bedside dresser.

"Goodnight," Liv murmured and closed her eyes; she opened them again a moment later when Eric called her name softly. "Hm?"

Eric still took a few seconds to answer. "I'm trying to respect your wishes, Liv, but I need you to stay inside this room during the day and that's not a request."

He showed her his phone again, another unsent message on the screen.

//I smelled a wolf earlier and I don't trust any of Russell's men around you.//

"Okay, I promise I won't leave this room," Liv agreed readily, thinking that if Russell's subjects were anything like their monarch that was probably a good call. "Do you think Talbot will mind me eating the decorations, though?"

She motioned vaguely towards a tastefully arranged fruit bowl that stood on a low sideboard next to the door.

"I'm sure he'll understand," Eric assured her, typing out another message on his phone as he continued. "We can find some food for you in the evening when I'm awake again."

//There're some energy bars in the inside pocket of my jacket. Godric insisted that I pack them for you.//

Liv smiled to herself as she read the message, though she had her doubts that the energy bars had been Godric's idea.

"Thank you," she said, leaning up to brush a soft kiss over Eric's cheek. "Goodnight, Eric."

"Goodnight, Liv," Eric murmured and then the room went dark.

* * *


	21. Winter Wind

**21\. Winter Wind - Étude Op. 25, No. 11 – Frédéric Chopin**

When she woke, the room around her was pitched in darkness and Eric's arm around her felt heavy and slightly restrictive, if still very reassuring. He was fast asleep, dead to the world, and so she just lay there for a few minutes, trying to bring order to her thoughts and feelings.

Truth be told, she had been skeptical from the beginning about Eric and the queen's plan to use her abilities on Russell Edgington. For one, it had seemed like a sure-fire way of getting herself into trouble, either by offending the king or by rousing his suspicions when she couldn't hide her reaction to whatever she would see. That hadn't happened, thankfully, partly due to Eric's careful engineering and partly due to sheer dumb luck.

Moreover, her worry that she might feel compelled to warn Russell if she should see his true death had evaporated as soon as she had seen the fear on his brother's face. Not for him – of him. She tried her best not to judge and three thousand odd years was a long time for someone to mend their ways, but when Russell had demanded to be turned, his brother had refused, not out of spite, but for fear of what Russell might do with superhuman strength and an immortal life. Brotherly love may have prevailed over common sense, but Liv had a very bad feeling about the man who now called himself Russell Edgington.

And then there was the matter of Bill Compton. At first her sense of justice had chafed at the idea of letting him take the fall for a crime he didn't commit, of punishing him for something that hadn't happened yet. But… Sophie-Anne was fast becoming a friend. She was wickedly smart and funny and as a default treated everyone, vampire and human alike, with the same indulgent air of condescension. She'd patiently allowed Liv to test her abilities on her (and of course Liv realized that wasn't merely altruism), had made helpful suggestions and freely shared her knowledge of banshees. They had talked about horror movies and laughed at the most frequent clichés in them. Sophie-Anne had even made an impassioned summation for sampling the earlier productions of this genre, despite or maybe because of the lack of convincing special effects.

Bill, on the other hand, had now sold her out twice, had broken faith to his queen and his sheriff and the more she learned about his relationship – or former relationship - with Sookie, the more exploitative and unhealthy it seemed. Her view of him was biased, of course, and based more on what she had learned second-hand than on her own sparse interactions with the broody vampire, but first impressions were often correct and she had been taught, if in doubt, to trust her instincts.

So if it came down to a choice between Sophie-Anne and Bill, there really was no contest, even if she was still not completely okay with that. She sighed softly, pushed off Eric's heavy arm and reached across him to fumble for the light switch and her phone. She still had some unanswered messages – most of them for Sookie – and if she was going to go ahead with this plan, the least she could do was to help Sookie through her break-up.

v---v

"Sir," Eric greeted the king respectfully, giving Liv a sign to stay out of the way as Russell descended the staircase in the foyer, this time fully dressed in a grey pinstripe suit in combination with a floral shirt.

"Sheriff. Please accept my apologies. There's a matter to which I must attend," the king replied dismissively, making to move past the taller vampire.

"Trouble?"

"Not really. It's seems Mr. Compton betook himself to flight rather than await my decision," Russell answered nonchalantly, raising his hands appeasingly when Eric made to protest. "Not to worry, my dear sheriff, I shall retrieve him shortly so that we may deliver him to his just punishment."

"Perhaps I can be of assistance?" Eric offered. "As you know this matter is of great importance to my queen…"

"Huh," Russell paused briefly, but then shook his head. "Indulge my boy Talbot, will you? Let him give you the full tour. Makes him positively blithe."

"Respectfully, your majesty, I think the search for Bill Compton should be my priority," Eric argued.

"Do you doubt my ability to wrangle one adolescent vampire in my own kingdom?" Russell asked, sounding dangerously amused and Liv was glad to see that Eric subsided immediately, stepping aside to let Russell pass.

Liv hesitated a moment, uncertain if Eric wanted her to remain where she was or if she could join him again. Her hesitation turned out to be a good thing as someone else came down the stairs, a female vampire this time, with her dark hair gathered into an elegant updo, her lips accentuated by bright red lipstick and in a white silky blouse with elaborate frills along the collar.

"You," the woman said, her full lips curling in disgust.

"You," Eric echoed just as Talbot moved past Liv without even sparing her a glance.

"Boys only," he declared smugly, staring up at the woman for a moment before he turned to Eric with a wide grin.

Eric smirked, lowering his voice seductively and seeming to dismiss the woman completely. "Show me… everything."

He made to leave and Liv's heart gave a panicked jump, prompting Eric to turn back around as if he was only just remembering her. His eyes were laughing though, and he lightly squeezed Liv's shoulder as he came to collect her.

"I made the mistake of mentioning some of the... unsavory characters around here to my maker. He insisted that I keep Liv close at hand," he explained apologetically, glancing significantly at the female vampire when he mentioned the "unsavory characters". "I even thought I smelled a werewolf yesterday…"

Talbot huffed scornfully. "Russell's pets. He's not supposed to bring them into the house, but of course he never listens..." He sighed gustily. "You can bring her along."

"Thank you," Eric answered graciously, nudging her forward as Talbot indicated the way. "I admit I'm surprised to hear about this. In my experience, werewolves are base, primitive creatures…"

"Oh, they're uncultured beasts, to be sure," Talbot agreed lightly, leading them up a short flight of stairs. "The smell alone would be reason enough to eviscerate them all, if you ask me, but Russell finds them useful, or, well, entertaining at least."

"I fail to imagine any task that might safely be entrusted to a werewolf," Eric replied with a note of amusement in his voice that Liv was pretty sure was false; Talbot chuckled and winked at Eric before he launched into an animated description of the many wonderful features, antiquities and decorative strokes of genius of his home.

It was interesting, sometimes even fascinating and at other times deeply disturbing, like when Talbot descended into a long and unfortunately very detailed account of their encounter with a very nice cannibalist couple, who apparently had exquisite taste and some of the best recipe ideas. Liv tried to convince herself that she had missed most of that anecdote because she had been lost in admiring the beautiful tapestries.

Talbot was also seemingly intent on packing as much sexual innuendo and sultry looks into his presentation as was in any way possible and since Eric gave as good as he got, Liv soon felt like a very awkward third wheel. Even though, Talbot didn't particularly seem to begrudge her tagging along. He didn't treat her to any flirtatious double entendres - for which she could only be grateful - but he gladly expanded on his annotations when she timidly asked about a statuette of Europa and Zeus that had caught her attention and appeared to take genuine enjoyment when she allowed her admiration to show.

"Uh... And what is this?" Eric asked, taking up an ancient looking scroll and slowly unrolling the yellowed parchment.

"Japanese vampire erotica from the 16th century," Talbot commented, savoring each word. "Exquisite detail."

Eric smirked at him. "You learn any tricks?"

"Eric, you know as well as I there's nothing new except someone new," Talbot answered with another one of those lurking smiles. "Though, perhaps your friend would find it helpful."

He winked at her, then shared a conspiratorial grin with Eric, who obligingly lowered and tilted the scroll so that Liv could have a look at the illustrations. At first glance, they looked fairly standard, safe for the clearly drawn pointy incisors and the inky trails of blood. But the longer she looked, the more she realized that the contortions of bodies and limbs and the utter disregard of human anatomy could probably not be attributed solely to artistic license.

"That doesn't look safe for humans," Liv said softly. "And I'm very sure I don't bend that way."

Eric laughed, allowing the scroll to snap closed as he grasped her upper arm and gave it a gentle squeeze as if to test her physical resilience. "You'd snap like a twig," he said musingly before adding with a sly smirk to Talbot. "That's why I prefer my lovers with a bit more heft."

"Maybe we can have another look at this later," Talbot offered promptly, his fingers trailing suggestively over the dark wood of the secretary he was leaning against.

"Well, it's an eclectic collection," Eric replied non-committedly.

"Oh, you should see what we have in storage," Talbot answered, pushing off from the secretary and slinking forward. "Russell's a greedy little boy. He wants what he wants and he takes it. He's the same way about people. Watch out."

He gently took the scroll from Eric, with a seemingly accidental brush of hands, and opened the gilded lattice leaf of the built-in display case a little wider. On the top half, suspended by tiny golden hooks on dark velvet, there were a number of guns and other weapons, all polished to perfection and spaced for the most pleasing overall picture. Beneath that, were three individual mounts, designed to support two crowns and an ornate imperial orb with jewels crusted around the middle.

Something made her look up at Eric - some minute shift in the air, a sudden sense of impending doom - to see the smile frozen on his face and his gaze fixed on the crown on the right, a broad band of steel with two curves creating a widow's peak in front and filigree swirls incised into the sides.

"And this?" Eric's voice was a study in equanimity, but Liv didn't miss the way his smile slipped as he gently lifted the crown from its perch.

Talbot barely glanced up, occupied as he was with fitting the Japanese erotica back into its tube and closing the delicate clasps. "Some random tribal crown. He must have a hundred of them… Uh, this one's, uh, Scythian, I think."

"Viking," Eric corrected through a clenched yaw and for a second cold, murderous rage flickered across his features.

"Would you tell me a little more about this, sir?" Liv asked quickly, indicating a golden cuirass ostentatiously displayed on a raised dais in the center of the room in hopes of distracting Talbot and giving Eric a moment to regain his composure. "It's stunning."

"Why, that was mine, back in the day," Talbot explained eagerly, turning away from the display case and inviting Liv to take a closer look at the piece of armor.

She did her best to act suitably impressed as he pointed out a small dent in one of the shoulder plates and described how he had heroically led his men into battle, but had to succumb – after a fierce and glorious fight – to the superior numbers of his enemies and had finally fallen to a dastardly attack from behind. He was a good storyteller, his rendition seasoned with enough humorous and self-effacing comments to make it entertaining rather than unbearably pompous, though her concern for Eric took away much of her enjoyment.

"You must have been magnificent," she said honestly, admiring the broad shoulder section and the stylized lion's head over the sternum. "No wonder Mr. Edgington fell in love with you."

"Love. Obsession. Who can tell the difference? For Russell, they might be one and the same," Talbot gave back with studied levity and Liv thought, not for the first time, that for all these riches and all his power, Talbot seemed to lead a very sad and empty existence..

Talbot moved on to show her the ornate scabbard and helmet that had also been part of his armor. "I was a prince, you see. Of course I left the palace and renounced my title when my father – in his infinite wisdom – decided that I should marry the daughter of one his generals. As if one hundred and eighty-seven additional swords could have justified a lifetime shackled to that witless creature." He huffed indignantly.

"I'm sure Mr. Edgington was glad that you didn't marry her," Liv replied politely, swallowing the question if Talbot had bothered to speak to his prospective wife before he had passed judgment on her.

"Oh, you silly girl," Talbot said with a large smile. "He would have just killed her, or anyone else who got in the way."

Liv was struck speechless by such blasé attitude to the loss of human life, which was lucky, considering that she couldn't have thought of a polite or even just diplomatic answer. She curled her fingers into the soft fabric of her borrowed dress to resist the irrational and death-defying desire to slap the smug grin off Talbot's face and took a deep breath.

"Speak of the devil. I believe I just heard the front door?" Eric was suddenly back at her side, his face once again a mask of polite amiability. The hand that closed like a vice around her wrist told another story, though. "Shall we see if the prodigal Mr. Compton has returned?"

"Of course he has returned." Talbot laughed, turning towards the door. "The question is only if he has done so willingly."

"Having the dubious pleasure of knowing Bill Compton, I highly doubt it. I better drop Liv off in my room first," Eric announced, swinging Liv up into his arms before she could protest. "For safekeeping."

"Thank you for the tour, sir," Liv forced herself to say, not sure if her words had reached their intended target before Eric blurred into movement and set her down in their room, or more specifically the bathroom, a few seconds later.

"Stay here," he ordered, still gripping her tightly by the shoulders as if he was afraid she might… no, as if he was afraid. Full stop.

"Eric, what -"

"Be quiet," he interrupted her, squeezing her arms until it hurt. "And lock the door behind me. Don't open it for anyone except me. Do you understand?"

"I don't, but I promise," Liv whispered, futilely trying to find some reassurance in Eric's too intense gaze and sharp nod.

A second later he was gone and she was alone in the bathroom, staring at the closed but unlocked door. It had never seemed threatening before. She took a small step, then quickly closed the distance and turned the large bit key in its lock. It probably didn't make her any safer – she doubted that locking this flimsy wooden door would be a sufficient deterrent to a vampire, werewolf or even a moderately determined human. The fact that Eric had still insisted on it was probably the most disturbing part of this whole episode. That, and the spooked look in Eric's eyes.


	22. Solveigs vuggevise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I noticed that some of the formatting got lost in the previous chapters, i.e. I was using angle brackets to mark texts and those didn't make it into the posted chapters. So I've decided to use slashes instead - I've also fixed this issue in the previous chapters._   
>  _Furthermore, I updated the Swedish dialogue in chapter 13, thanks to the help of the lovely katnor._

**22\. Solveigs vuggevise** **– Peer Gynt – Edvard Grieg**

She stood there for a few moments longer, straining her inadequate human senses for any indication of what might be going on outside. Then she admonished herself and sat down on the closed toilet seat to fish her phone out of her boot. Three missed calls from Godric, all within the last ten minutes. That wasn't good.

She took a deep breath and glanced at the still closed door before she typed out a quick message to Godric. /I can't talk aloud right now, but something has upset Eric and I'm worried about him./

After a brief hesitation she sent the same message to Pam, adding a pleading postscript for Pam to go to Godric and assist him with his phone. A minute later, her phone lit up with a new message from Godric's number.

/We're here. Are you hurt?/

/We're both fine, physically, but Eric looked very rattled. He told me to stay in the bathroom and be quiet./

/Where is he? What happened?/

/He's downstairs. Bill tried to escape and the king just brought him back,/ Liv wrote, pressed SEND and answered the second question in a new text. /Talbot gave us a tour of the house and in Russell's collection there was a Viking crown. I think that's what upset him./

There was a pause in communication, her phone remaining silent in her hand for almost a minute before it lit up with several new messages:

/Eric blocked his connection to Godric, that's why he tried to call you./

/The crown probably belonged to Eric's father. His whole family was killed by werewolves when Eric was still human./

/If it's in Russell's possession now it seems Eric has finally found the one responsible./

/He's been waiting to take vengeance for centuries so his rage isn't surprising./

Liv stared down at the screen, absently gnawing on her bottom lip. /I think he was angry at first, but then he just looked scared./

The reply was immediate and sounded like Pam, /Good. That might stop him from doing something stupid./

/Godric wants me to reassure you that Eric will keep his promise to bring you home safely, regardless of his level of fear./

/I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about Eric,/ Liv answered, wishing they were having this conversation in person so that that would have been clear from the start.

/And he's probably worried about you or he wouldn't have told you to stay in the bathroom/, Pam typed back though this time she imagined the words said in Godric's gentle and calm voice.

She sighed quietly, feeling a little guilty at how reassuring she found that explanation. Not because Eric was worried about her, though under normal circumstances she might have been a little flattered, but because it negated the looming threat of some unknown danger she just hadn't recognized yet. Emotional issues she could handle – a real-life threat with the power to scare even Eric certainly not.

She thought she heard a soft click in the other room so she carefully approached the bathroom door and peered through the keyhole after pulling out the key, her phone clutched in her hand. Through the tiny opening, she could just see Eric sitting on the bed.

/Eric's back,/ she texted. /I'll see if he'll talk to me./

/Tell him we're here if you need us./

/Godric thinks that's misleading so to clarify: We can come to your aid if you need us./

Her heart felt a little lighter and imaging that exchange brought a fleeting smile to her lips. She texted back a quick thank you before she hesitantly put the key back into the keyhole to unlock the door.

It opened almost soundlessly, but she still found it worrying when Eric didn't react. He hadn't moved as far as she could tell, still sitting with his forearms resting on his thighs, his gaze lowered - like a brooding gargoyle. She gave him another moment to notice her, but when he didn't acknowledge her presence she slipped through the door.

"Eric," she whispered, carefully touching his shoulder.

Eric reacted by pulling her into the vee of his legs and hiding his face against her stomach, all without saying a word. She took a deep breath and then wrapped her arms around him, making her body soft and pliant to cushion the granite-like tension she could feel in his. She gently cradled his head against her and rubbed his back while humming softly under her breath, hoping that any of what she was doing would help to soothe him.

Eric was still for so long that her back protested with a painful twinge when he finally loosened his hold and pulled back slightly to look up at her. "Are you humming _Peer Gynt_?"

Liv had to think about it for a second before she nodded slightly. "Godric mentioned once that you enjoyed it, but I can stop if you're not in the mood for Grieg."

Eric still looked drawn, she thought, not physically as she would have been after a long day at work or a sleepless night, but as if he had been through the emotional wringer and was only just keeping himself from falling apart. And she could see the cracks in his usual armor of charm, charisma and confidence, emotions boiling to the surface that he normally kept well under wraps.

"Oh, I'm in the mood for _krig_ , believe me," he replied angrily, though his pronunciation of the Norwegian composer's name sounded strange to her ears, the first G so hard that it almost sounded like a K.

"Or maybe Wagner would have been more fitting," Liv suggested very softly, offering Eric her phone so that he could see the messages she had exchanged with Godric and Pam and humming a few strands from the _Ride of the Valkyries_.

Eric sent her a sharp look, his hand on her waist tightening in warning and she fell silent immediately. He reached for her phone and sighed very softly after he had finished reading. "Godric is right… I do enjoy many of the Scandinavian composers, though I suppose Wagner would also pose a valid choice in some contexts." His pause made it clear that he was not merely commenting on his taste in classical music and when he handed her phone back to her, she saw that he had deleted her entire chat with Godric and Pam. It was probably safer that way.

She swallowed the words she couldn't say out loud – _I'm sorry about what happened to your family. I'm sorry you're hurting. You have a right to be angry. It's not your fault._ – and instead wrapped her arms around him again, holding him as tightly as she could and trying to offer him a little shelter from the demons of his past. Eric buried himself back against her in response and went absolutely immobile again, the way Godric did when he was lost in thought.

When Eric finally spoke he pulled back only slightly, keeping her close with his hands resting on her waist. "I did not mean to alarm you earlier. The situation seemed rather volatile and I felt better knowing you were at a safe distance."

"Can you tell me what happened?" Liv asked carefully, apologetically rubbing her fingers along his shoulder when his expression shuttered again. "Downstairs, with Bill?"

Eric rolled his shoulders under her hands, looking searchingly up at her and she lightly shook her head, trying to communicate that she knew it wasn't the right time to talk about the real issue. Eric nodded minutely and started to relate what had happened after Bill had been forcefully returned to Russell's domain.

"It seems Bill went to warn Sookie, which of course only led Russell right to her," Eric explained, his voice carefully neutral as he trailed his hand soothingly up and down her spine as if she was the one in need of comfort. "Bill killed one of the guards and made an attempt on the king's life – Russell warded him off easily; he's almost three thousand years old."

A shadow passed over Eric's face though he gathered himself before Liv could get over her own shock that Bill had killed someone and that Sookie was apparently in serious trouble.

"Your friend is fine," Eric offered, correctly interpreting her worry. "Russell has agreed that she will make an excellent courting gift to the queen."

Liv arched a skeptical eyebrow, leaning back slightly so that Eric could fully appreciate how unimpressed she was by the idea of making a present of a human being.

Eric grimaced and gave a tiny shrug. "It will keep her safe for now, which was not a given after Bill's erratic behavior. Bill's fate looks rather more grim in comparison: Russell has ordered Lorena to kill him for his treason."

"His maker?" Liv whispered incredulously. "But… she won't do it, will she? She can't."

Eric gently rested his large hand on her chest and gave her a chiding look. She supposed her heart had started doing acrobatics again and she obediently took a deep breath before she expectantly met Eric's gaze to prompt him for an answer.

"She could," Eric replied, tapping out a slow rhythm against her chest as if to encourage her heart to resume its normal pace. "Of course, most makers would rather face their own true death than sacrifice their progeny, but Lorena has always been a loose cannon and frankly she might be doing Bill a favor by killing him before the Magister can make an example out of him."

"But won't the Magister object to his verdict being preempted?" Liv asked hesitantly.

Eric gave her a brief nod, but then said dismissively, "Russell is confident that he can handle any disgruntlement on the Magister's part and since we're in his kingdom, he can do anything he likes."

Eric broke off, seeming to choke on his own anger as another storm cloud passed over his features and his hands tightened on her waist. Liv made a small sound of protest when his grip became too painful and Eric snapped his hands back as if he had been burned, twisting them together in his lap until his knuckles cracked.

"Hey," she said softly, sitting down next to Eric and reaching for his hands to pull them into her own lap, to pull him out of his mind. She had to release him quickly when she felt a vision pressing against her consciousness. A few disconnected images still flashed before her eyes, all of them dark and painful, though only one of them stuck in her mind – Eric, looking young and distraught, cradling the face of a man who had to be his father and listening to his dying words. Hämnd. Vengeance.

She quickly rubbed at her prickling eyes and sniffed as quietly as she could. Eric still turned towards her, seeming to really focus on her for the first time since he had come back to the room.

"You shouldn't be here," he murmured as if to himself, fear replacing the helpless rage in his eyes.

"And you shouldn't be alone," Liv argued, lightly resting her hand on Eric's arm. "You're not."

"Liv…" Eric started to protest, shaking his head angrily. "I won't let you stop me."

A moment later he thrust his phone under her nose. /I will kill him for what he did to my family and I want him to suffer./

"I know," Liv replied softly, backspacing until the damning words had disappeared. "I don't need you to worry about me. I really don't."

/But I need you to think this through because if your quest for revenge ends with you or Godric or Pam dead – he will have won again. And he doesn't deserve that satisfaction./

She handed the phone over with a small, desperate "please" and this time even she noticed her heart pounding away in her chest. Her hands remained steady, though, and she felt focused rather than panicked.

"Aren't you supposed to talk me out of it?" Eric demanded. "Raise some moral objections or some such nonsense?"

Liv gently caressed Eric's strong forearm through the thin material of his jumper, taking a moment to pick her words, "It's not that I like you taking the law into your own hands, but if there's a viable alternative I don't see it. You can't exactly drag him in front of a human court and ask for a fair trial. Practicalities aside, they would be just as likely to sentence both of you to death for your mere existence: Godric has a very long list of all the laws he's supposedly breaking – maybe that's something you should discuss with him at some point. But I believe that even if our justice system is not equipped to handle vampires, you still deserve justice."

She paused, then added another sentence just in case someone was listening in, "Bill's a vampire and he's being held accountable for breaking vampire law. So I find it hard to apply my pesky human morals to this situation."

Liv held out her phone again, a little hesitant at how her message might be received. /And you're my friend. My qualms of conscience are not more important than you./

Eric huffed out a breath, half a snort, half something else, before he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her firmly into his side. "You're wrong, you know? I do need to worry about you. You have no idea how fucking fragile you are"

"We all have our breaking points," Liv whispered back, furrowing her brow when she noted an unusual tremor in Eric's arm. "It's daylight, isn't it?"

Like all the bedrooms in Russell's mansion, the windows in theirs had been made light-tight, heavy curtains and steel-enforced shutters robbing her off any sense of time, but Eric's silence spoke volumes. She sighed quietly, noting his clenched yaw, the darkening shadows under his eyes, the ashy color of his skin and the way he stubbornly refused to meet her gaze.

Liv sighed again, louder this time, and slipped from the protective curve of Eric's arm to kneel down in front of him. She started to untie his shoe laces before he could protest. "Let's get you into bed, then," she commented lightly, taking off first his left shoe and then his right, smoothing his socks back over the elegant arches of his long feet.

She sent him a chiding look when he seemed to make ready to protest. "That wasn't a suggestion, Eric." She made her voice soft but firm, regaining her feet and putting her hands gently on his broad shoulders. "Come on, lay down at least."

She was prepared to reason, argue, beg, but inexplicably, Eric just gave in to the negligible pressure she exerted on his shoulders and dropped like a log, obediently scooting up on the bed when she coaxed him to do so. Liv carefully tucked the marine covers up around him and absently brushed a strand of hair out of his face.

"Stay," Eric ordered, his hand closing like a vice around her wrist when she was about to draw back.

"I'm just going to get changed," Liv murmured soothingly. "I won't leave, I promise."

Eric released her wrist, his fingers falling away with notable reluctance, though his eyes remained fixed on her, unblinking and red-rimmed. She could feel them even as she turned her back to him and quickly exchanged the old-fashioned flowery dress and soft pink cardigan she had worn all night with the even more old-fashioned Victorian sleep dress.

Eric was holding up the covers when she turned back around and gathered her close as soon as she had slipped into bed. "I'm sorry about your bruises," he whispered, barely a breath against her ear, as his fingers traced feather-light along the edge of the impressive discoloration that had formed on her back.

"It's okay," she murmured though this uncharacteristic apology told her that it clearly wasn't. She felt another tremor go through his body and pressed closer, tightening her arms around him. "Is Godric asleep yet?"

"I closed our bond," Eric said, still in that barely audible whisper.

"I know," Liv answered pointedly, tapping her fingers lightly against Eric's tense back. "Maybe you should check in with him."

Eric gave no answer, but when she twisted to look up at him, his eyes were closed. A moment later, he arched as if someone had caressed along his spine and a little of the tension seeped out of his body. She probably imagined it - or at least imagined the visual proof of what she instinctively knew to be true – but something in Eric seemed to settle, some of the taut lines smoothing, some of the raw edges losing a bit of their sharpness. It had an effect on her as well, as Godric's presence always did, and she only noticed how anxious she had been when her tense muscles began to unknot, her breath coming a little bit easier, her heart rate slowing.

"Godric's asleep now," Eric finally said, focusing back on her and huffing out a sigh before sliding lower and burying her almost completely beneath his body. "Don't say it."

Liv sighed as well, knowing that it would be useless and unkind to push him. Staying awake, keeping watch was clearly something he felt he needed to do and if Godric hadn't managed to convince him to get some rest, she wouldn't manage it either. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked instead.

Eric just shook his head and then rested it high on her chest, above her heart. She reached up to slowly card her fingers through Eric's soft hair and settled in for a long day.

v---v

She slept in intervals, waking every half hour or so to check on Eric. Always, Eric was still stubbornly clinging to consciousness, shielding her from any and all danger with his body and ignoring the thin rivulets of blood that ran from his ears, his nose, his eyes. Liv wiped them away with the too long sleeves of her sleeping gown and just held him a little tighter when she noticed them.

Some interminable time later - it was probably past noon already – she was startled from another light doze as Eric moved suddenly, rolling off of her and standing next to the door before her eyes had fully opened. His ear was tilted towards the door, listening, but his eyes were focused on Liv and when she slowly sat up he brought his index finger to his lips in the universal gesture for silence.

Maybe ten minutes later, he turned away from the door and slowly made his way back to the bed, slipping back into it with only a pale version of the grace he normally possessed. His ears had started bleeding again though he hardly seemed to notice as he sat up against the headboard and tugged at Liv until she was arranged to his liking, close at his side, with his left arm slung across her shoulders to hold her securely against his chest.

He then produced his phone from somewhere, typed out a quick message, hit SEND and entered a new message before holding the phone out to Liv. /Sookie is staging an escape together with another human girl. So far it's going well for them, but of course Sookie is insisting on taking Bill with her. I've just texted Herveaux to come and get them./

/My vision?/ Liv wrote back, after once again deleting Eric's message. She felt a shiver race down her spine like an ill omen and Eric nodded grimly, anchoring her a little more firmly against his side.

/You gave your warnings and so have I. There's nothing more you can do for Sookie or her friend, except putting yourself in danger. I need you to stay here./

It was Liv's turn to nod, though she did so reluctantly. /Can you still hear them?/

/I heard them leave the house and I'll hear if there's any great noise,/ Eric answered. /For now everything's quiet./

It wasn't long, though, before Eric's head swiveled around again and even Liv thought to have heard the faint echo of gunshots. For Liv's human ears everything remained quiet after that, but Eric was still listening intently, his head cocked slightly to the side and his whole body tensely still.

Finally, he broke his concentration and let his fingers fly over his phone. /I can't hear them anymore, but they seem to have managed a clean getaway in Herveaux's van./

/Were those gunshots?/ she asked and Eric gave her a slight nod before lifting his shoulders in an aborted shrug to indicate that he had no more information than that. Maybe – probably - he was doing her a kindness by not confirming what she already suspected.

Another tremor went through Eric's body, even more pronounced than the ones before, and he absently wiped a red drop from under his nose. Liv took a deep breath, deciding that enough was definitely enough.

/You need to sleep./ Eric shook his head, turning to stare moodily at the door and avoiding her gaze.

Liv slipped free from his loose embrace and knelt down on the covers so that she was facing him though Eric still stubbornly refused to look at her. She held out the phone again, the same message on the screen, all but thrusting it in his face to get him to acknowledge her.

/I can't protect you if I'm asleep./ Eric texted back tersely.

/What are you expecting to happen? It's a quarter past two in the afternoon. The sun is high in the sky, the vampires will be asleep and if there're any werewolves or human guards they'll be too busy with Sookie's and Bill's disappearance to bother us./

She once again reached out to wipe the blood from Eric's neck, surprised when he leaned into her touch. Liv closed her eyes against the flood of images, feeling the world around her fracture into a million jagged pieces. It was as bad as some of her visions of Godric's death, disjointed and brutal, teeth at her jugular, a sword through her stomach, claws raking down her back. A piercing pain in her shoulder, a hateful whisper in her ear. So many dead, men and women and children. Eric's mother lying in a pool of her own blood, her golden hair matted in red, her throat torn out. Eric's baby sister, still and deathly silent next to her, swathed in a soft fur blanket, her life cut short before it had truly begun. Eric's father, again, the wolf's teeth tearing into his belly and neck, hot blood gushing from the deep wounds even as he desperately clung to consciousness. Hämnd. Vengeance.

She came back to the present with a gasp, a chocked sob, only becoming aware that Eric had been calling her name when he fell silent. He had wrapped the covers in a cocoon around her and had gathered her in against his chest, as if he could squeeze the nightmares out of her.

Eric tucked her head under his chin, holding her a little tighter to contain her shaking. "I did not mean to impose this on you, Liv."

"I know. I do," Liv replied in a whisper, wiping the tears from her face and taking a few deep breaths, before peering up at Eric. "I'm sorry."

The words seemed inadequate to express everything she was feeling. She was sorry about Eric's pain, about the loss of his family, their arbitrarily cruel fate. She was sorry that she was monopolizing on Eric's grief through her visions, that he now felt that he had to comfort and protect her when it should be the other way round. She was sorry that she couldn't offer Eric the physical contact he apparently needed.

"I know," Eric said softly, absently tangling his fingers into her hair. He sounded exhausted.

Liv gave him another few moments before she fished for the phone again. "You don't have to stay up with me, Eric. You must be tired."

/Please don't make me say it again./

/It's not safe./

/I'll stay awake and if anyone comes into the room I will scream. Please, Eric./

/Your scream could probably wake the dead,/ Eric texted back with a weak attempt at humor and then sighed long and hard before shifting them around again so that Liv was once more buried underneath his tall frame, shielded from any danger that might dare to enter their room. He then pressed the phone back into Liv's hand and whispered some last instructions in her ear.

"I don't even remember their faces anymore. But that day is burnt into my memory." He was asleep before Liv could find an answer.


	23. II. Sequenz: Dies irae

**23\. II. Sequenz: Dies irae – Requiem in D minor, KV 626 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart**

She called Godric at exactly twelve minutes to five, as per Eric's instructions, letting the phone ring five times before Godric picked up.

"You got him to sleep," Godric said after their initial exchange of greetings. "I was worried he would stay awake all through the day."

"It's hard to feel safe here," Liv admitted softly, trying to shift into a more comfortable position under Eric's heavy frame. "And I miss our time alone. Eric might be fast asleep, but it feels strange to have a private conversation with you when I'm in bed with him. As if he might be eavesdropping without my knowledge."

Godric hummed in understanding and they talked irrelevances for a while, Godric even managing to make her laugh with his account of his adventures at a hardware store, some years past, in search of a basic tool kit. From what Liv gathered, Godric and the store assistant had had very different notions of what should be considered "basic".

"This was before the Great Revelation so I couldn't exactly explain to him why all these additional, supposedly helpful features and technical easements wouldn't be of any use to me," Godric explained, his voice tinged with humor. "And I must have looked suitably incompetent when he tried to explain the power tools to me because he grew very concerned for my safety and added a hard hat, goggles and protective gloves to my cart."

Liv laughed softly, imagining the scene. "What did you do?"

"It seemed rude not to make the purchase after all his forbearance and expert advice," Godric answered lightly. "I gave most of the electric tools to Eric and he bought me the tools I wanted. I still have the protective gear, though. Eric suggested that I could use it in roleplay. I'm not quite sure what he meant by that."

Liv bit her lip to hide her grin. "If you'd like, I'm sure we could figure it out together once I'm back home."

"I love that you think of it as your home," Godric said softly.

"I think of you as home," Liv replied just as quietly. "Dallas, Shreveport, the North Pole – I don't care as long as you're there with me."

"Maybe not the North Pole," Godric offered and she could hear the smile in his voice. "It's rather too inhospitable for humans though we should pass by for a visit. The aurora borealis is beautiful."

Liv was about to reply when suddenly the door burst open, banging loudly against the slender-legged sideboard with its filigree wood inlays and making the bowl of fruit rattle dangerously. She emitted a sharp cry, less because of her promise to Eric and only partly because of the noise, but mostly because of the sight that greeted her when she peered cautiously out from under Eric's arm.

She saw the blood-splattered silk pajamas first, which, all things considered, might have been a blessing as it prepared her somewhat for the implausible amalgamation of flesh, blood, brain matter, bone and hair she saw when her gaze was inexorably drawn further up. The creature couldn't have been human - and even for a vampire survival seemed unlikely under these circumstances. If pressed, she would have described the ashy-skinned, misshapen, sluggishly bleeding, moaning figure as a zombie.

It stumbled a step towards the bed and Liv choked out another scream, desperately digging her fingers into Eric's sides, torn between the probably more logical impulse to use Eric's body as a shield, her own qualms of conscience of exposing him to danger while he was in no state to defend himself and sheer mindless panic.

"Eric!" she cried out, the creature only one or at most two lurching steps away from the bed. "Wake up! Eric!"

For one endless moment she was staring up into a bugging, bloodshot eye ball, oozing out of the comminuted eye socket, shrinking back from the surprisingly intact hand that grasped towards her. The next, she was looking at Eric's broad back, the tall vampire a very effective and reassuring bulwark between her and the intruder.

"Liv, are you okay?" Eric asked, pushing the creature back a few steps, but keeping a firm hold of its shoulder.

"I'm fine," she whispered though her heart was still beating madly in her throat.

She carefully sat up, choosing to get out on the other side of the bed, and was very glad for this additional barrier when the creature lurched against Eric's hold, swiveling the remains of its head in her direction and making a row of garbled sounds.

"Stop that," Eric said warningly, taking a more secure grip of the intruder. "You're dripping brain everywhere and from the looks of it you don't have any to spare."

The creature moaned again, pitiable and somehow insistent, trying to form words through a broken jaw and a most likely misaligned tongue.

"He wants to know where his bride is," Liv offered, giving a light shrug when Eric looked askance at her. "Not my first patient with speech problems - I have practice. And uh… he also wants my blood."

"Yes, Liv, I believe that much is obvious," Eric replied with a sardonic roll of eyes, pushing the creature back with a firm "No".

"Would it help to bandage his head? I think I saw a first aid kit in the bathroom," Liv asked hesitantly, a little unsure how she would even start such an endeavor and remembering with dread that the first aid kit had looked more like a collectible item than a useable medical device.

"Not worth the bother," Eric replied after a quick assessing look. "He'll heal eventually and the dressings would only get in the way."

"Besides, you wouldn't be offering your help if you knew only half the things he has done to women in his lifetime," Russell commented, lightly stepping into the room, once again fashioned in a silky bathrobe with a geometrical pattern in browns and blues, and surveyed the scene with critical eyes. "Another failed romance, Franklin? Really, will you never learn? What was that?"

Franklin had issued another long stream of gargles, blood and saliva dripping from his mangled mouth and past his one intact fang.

"He says someone attacked him and kidnapped his bride," Liv interpreted, passing over Russell's mocking comment and focusing on Eric instead, noticing the sudden tension in his spine that hadn't been there before.

She skirted around the edge of the bed, keeping as wide a berth as possible between her and Russell and avoiding Franklin's grasping limbs. Eric seemed to relax a little when she was safely behind him, asking Russell with polite neutrality what they should do with Franklin for as long as he was clearly not in his right frame of mind.

"I suppose we'll put him back in his room," Russell said with a put-upon sigh; Franklin protested loudly, if unintelligibly. "Talbot will have a fit about the sheets, anyway. Egyptian cotton, or so I've been told." He rolled his eyes, then turned towards the doorway where a hulking figure had appeared.

"There's been an incident, sir," the man reported in a grumbly, burring voice to match his bearded, eyebrow-heavy face and massive built.

"Oh, no, what was your first clue?" Russell demanded, grasping Franklin by the shoulder and pushing him towards the other man. "Anything else you wish to tell me?"

"Cooter and the vampire lady are dead," the man replied, his hard face twisting into a grimace of disgust. "Compton and the two girls are gone. They knocked out one of my wolves. He has a concussion."

For one second, Russell's genial mien of patronizing amusement twisted into an image of explosive, seething rage, all the Southern charm and faux politeness stripped away to reveal the danger, the ugliness underneath. This was what his brother had been afraid of, this cold ruthlessness, this burning violent temper. She saw a memory of her vision superimpose itself on reality, a frightening mirage, a trick mirror showing the truth where her eyes might have been deceived.

The blink of an eye later, the king had donned his friendly mask again, bemoaning the general incompetence of werewolves and the unreliability of hired help in a tone of long-suffering benevolence, giving the guard a proverbial pat on the head when he said that two of his men where already tracking the escapees and then dismissing him with orders to return Franklin to his room and keep him there for the time being.

"Werewolves," Russell then commented to Eric with a roll of his eyes. "Sometimes, I think Talbot might be right that putting them all down and starting over with a fresh litter might actually be less work. Of course, he only wants to play with the puppies… But anyway, please do accept my apologies for this disturbance to your rest."

"No apology is required for that, your majesty," Eric replied with unfailing graciousness while Liv could only hope that the horror wasn't showing too clearly on her face. "Though, unfortunately this means that I will have to cut my visit here short to report to my queen. But please allow me this opportunity to thank you for your hospitality. You can be sure that I will mention the courtesy you bestowed on me to her majesty."

"That is most generous of you, sheriff, but what kind of suitor would I be not to present myself personally to my prospective bride? No, no, I will see to Sophie-Anne myself. I'm sure I will be able to convince her of the validity of my proposal once she understands what I'm offering."

"Of course, your majesty," Eric agreed with a soft inclination of his head. "Would you like me to accompany you?"

Russell looked at him consideringly for a moment, not sparing Liv even a second of his attention. She was grateful for that, though she didn't trust it entirely, doing her best to keep the emotions from her face even if that wouldn't be enough to fool a vampire. She could only hope that the king found Eric's performance as convincing as she did.

"Talbot is quite… hm, miffed about my plans regarding Sophie-Anne. I'd appreciate it if you could stay a little longer to take his mind off of things. He's much cheered by your company," Russell replied, smiling when Eric made to protest. "Not to worry, my dear sheriff. I shall explain the situation to your queen and my wolves will keep track of Mr. Compton. He won't get far, even if you do me this small favor."

Eric sighed, his hands loose at his sides and his voice soft and obliging, "I would be glad to do so, of course, but as you know this is not merely a matter between me and my queen: The Magister has demanded a swift resolution and I fear he's growing rather tired of excuses."

"I'll deal with the Magister's impatience, if need be," Russell brushed Eric's objection away, giving him less than a second before he continued with a jovial clap of hands. "Marvelous! Talbot will be delighted to have your company today."

"As you wish, your majesty. If this is how you think I will best serve my queen… and my future king," Eric said after a brief hesitation, inclining his head respectfully, lower than before.

"Good man," Russell declared with satisfaction, finally turning to leave.

Liv breathed out slowly when the door closed behind the king. She took a step forward, towards Eric, but had to stop abruptly when he was suddenly just there, tall and imposing and so very vulnerable. She slipped her arms around him and rested her cheek against his chest.

"Thank you for waking up."

Eric's arms closed around her, holding her more firmly and insistently than Godric ever would. There was the same undercurrent of protectiveness, though, and it made her feel undeniably safer if slightly smothered. "Godric alerted me to your distress."

His words reminded her abruptly that she had been on the phone with Godric when Franklin had stumbled into their room like an extra from _The Walking Dead_. She whispered Godric's name and pushed out of Eric's embrace, scrambling back to the bed and digging through the bedding until she held Eric's sleek cellphone in her hands. The screen remained black, even when she pressed the start button.

"Low battery, probably," Eric offered, taking the device from her shaking hands.

She huffed out a relieved sigh, feeling slightly foolish for all the paranoid ideas that had flitted through her mind when the explanation was so simple and mundane. "Will you let Godric know that he needn't worry?"

"Already did," Eric replied, lightly tapping his forefinger against his temple and giving her a forced little smile before inspecting the blood-stained cuffs of his shirt and wiping his hands on the already ruined material. "I need to clean up."

Liv nodded her understanding, thinking that a shower might help Eric to feel a little more like himself again. "I'll pick out some new clothes for you," she offered, motioning vaguely to the well-equipped wardrobe that had been provided with the guest room. Most of garments in it were too small and short for Eric and too wide and revealing for Liv, but she'd find something again.

"No, come here," Eric stopped her, shepherding her into the bathroom in front of him. "Franklin still hasn't settled down."

It was an excuse and they both knew it. When she was safely in the bathroom, Eric disappeared for a second, reappearing with a bundle of clothes and her cellphone in hand. "You can avert your eyes if seeing me naked offends your sensibilities," he offered her together with her phone, another weak grin flashing over his tired face.

"I think my sensibilities can handle it," she gave back wryly, watching Eric produce a charging cable from his jacket. "There's a socket behind the mirror."

She watched as Eric slowly (too slowly) set his phone up to charge. She caught herself assessing him with the practiced gaze of a nurse, trying to categorize his vital signs in a way that would tell her if he should be out of bed already. It didn't yield any reliable results, of course, not with a vampire. And still. Up until yesterday's revelations, Eric had given the impression of being in complete and unquestionable control of the situation, prepared for every twist and turn, armed with irrefutable arguments and irresistible charm. There was little left of that now, wiped away by anger, pain and an unsettling vulnerability that made her ache for him.

When Eric turned towards her again, she handed her own cellphone over to him, having decided that maybe Eric would appreciate some suggestions right now while he struggled to figure everything out. /I think we should warn Sophie./

Eric sighed soundlessly, a furrow appearing between his light brows before he gave her the tiniest nod. "You heard his majesty," he then said in a hard tone. "We'll extend our stay here for another day and then perhaps when the king's courtship has been successful he will acquit me of this thankless task of running after Bill like a mindless bloodhound… No, don't look at me like that. You'll just have to go to the movies with Matt and Judith some other time."

Matt and _Judith_. Eric couldn't have made it clearer. "Of course, Eric," she agreed softly. "Maybe I should let them know that I can't make it, though, before Matt gets it into his head to send out a search party – he works for the police."

Which was the absolute truth, though, of course Matt being a sketch artist was probably a little less redoubtable than what most people might have guessed from her words.

"That would be an inconvenience," Eric agreed with a fleeting, approving smirk, reaching for her phone and typing out a quick message: /You'll have to call; she doesn't check her messages regularly. Wait until I'm under the shower and mind your words./

Liv nodded, deleting the messages as she took her phone back from him and noting the rusty red smears on the sleeves of her nightgown. Blood. Eric's blood. She bit her lip to contain her sigh, turning towards the sink to wash her hands and give Eric at least the illusion of privacy. He wouldn't mind her looking, she knew, not now and certainly not under normal circumstances. But there was probably a lot he was trying to come to grips with and he deserved to have at least these few moments to himself to do so.

She felt a small tap on her shoulder a moment before she heard the sound of the shower being turned on, took a deep breath and selected Queen Sophie-Anne's number from her address book. She quickly changed the name to "Judith", just to be safe, and then hit DIAL.

"What?" the queen sounded grumpy when she picked up, but Liv was just relieved that she hadn't given anything away with a more revealing greeting.

"Hi, Judith," she said quickly, trying to sound the right mixture of unconcerned and chagrined. "I'm so glad I caught you. Listen, I'm sorry but I have to cancel our plans for tonight."

"I thought you were only going to be gone for a short trip?" Sophie-Anne whined, her voice somehow deeper and with a pronouncedly more Southern accent.

"That was the plan, but Eric has some business opportunities here and his new partner invited us to stay a little longer," Liv replied, hoping that Sophie-Anne would read between the lines. "Will you tell Matt that I can't make it to the movies tonight?"

Sophie-Anne huffed out another sigh, maybe overdoing her act of immature petulance a little bit. "I suppose it's just as well. Matt would have dragged us to yet another mindless action flick, anyway."

"Better than a horror movie," Liv replied, trying to keep her words nonchalant and even. "If I never have to see _Final Destination_ again it will be too soon."

The queen laughed merrily, a good-natured teasing undertone in her voice, "I would suggest something dreadfully romantic, like that new Sandra Bullock movie, but I'm probably the only one who wants to see that. Well, maybe we could compromise on a thriller. I know we all enjoyed _Panic Room_ , at least."

"It's a good movie," Liv agreed lightly, feeling the dread and foreboding slowly roll off her shoulders. "I'll call you when I get back, okay?"

"Yeah, see you soon," Sophie-Anne replied cheerily, just as Eric shut off the water. "Bye, Liv."

"Bye," Liv answered and ended the call, huffing out a quiet breath as she dropped the phone on the counter.

"Is that settled then?" Eric asked, stepping up next to her and sending her an approving nod through the mirror. "Good. I'm glad I won't have to deal with your passive-aggressive pouting all night. It's distracting."

"I'd hazard a guess and say that you know a thing or two about being distracting," Liv told him gently, not really comfortable with engaging in their usual banter right now.

As if to prove her right, Eric's grin was more forced than teasing and disappeared within the blink of an eye as he reached for her phone. /I need you to stay here tonight. With R and his wolves gone, you'll be safest in these rooms./

/Do you have a plan?/ Liv asked, rapping her fingers against the counter when Eric made no move to take the phone from her. "Eric?"

The vampire sighed soundlessly. /You'll stay out of the way as much as possible. You can call Godric again and keep him on the line. Scream if you need me./

/What about YOU? Will you be okay?/ Liv asked, briefly touching Eric's bare arm to get his attention.

/I'm not going to go on a killing spree, if that's what you're worried about,/ Eric wrote back before he turned back to face the mirror and almost angrily started to comb his wet hair into its usual side part.

She softly shook her head, waiting for Eric to finish before she held her phone out to him again. /It's not. I'll tell Talbot that Franklin scared me and that I only feel safe with you. I'm sure I can convince him to let me tag along again and you won't have to bear the brunt of his attentions. We'll get through today, I promise. Together./

Eric stared down at the message for a long moment then looked up to meet her pleading eyes, a small, honest smile gracing his lips. "You never cease to surprise me, Liv."

"Now, that was a compliment." Liv returned his smile, wishing she could offer Eric a hug but fearing that would only end in distress for both of them.

"You should freshen up as well. We'll have company soon," Eric said, lightly squeezing her shoulder as he walked past her.

"I won't be long," Liv promised, pulled the nightgown over her head as soon as she heard the soft click of the door behind her.

She tucked her hair out of the way, piling it on top of her head in a messy bun, quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth at the sink and then slipped into the shower. She took only a few minutes, keeping the water cool and uninviting, and then got dressed quickly. Eric had picked out a new dress for her to wear, which might have been form-fitting on a taller, more buxom woman but which fell off of her like something fashioned out of drapes. The superfluous frills and the pale paisley pattern didn't help that impression, though considering that they would spend the next few hours with Talbot it hardly mattered either way.

"Can you help me with… Oh, I apologize. Good evening, sir." Liv stopped abruptly a few steps into the main room when she noticed that they weren't alone anymore.

Talbot, clearly, was no happier about her being there than she was about his presence if the annoyed glance with which he answered her greeting was any indication. His voice remained cordial enough, though. "Not to worry, dear girl. I understand you had a little fright earlier this evening."

Liv squeezed her eyes shut for a second and allowed the memory to wash over her, hoping that her physical reaction would serve to convince Talbot of her fragile state. She shuddered and wrapped her arms tightly around herself.

"I don't know what might have happened if Eric hadn't woken up in time. He saved me," she whispered, skirting a little closer to the tall blond.

"Yes, yes, very fortuitous," Talbot answered, most of his attention on Eric who was holding up two shirts for his inspections. "Hm, the striped one, definitely. It will accentuate your form," he decided with a purr in his voice and watched appreciatively as Eric pulled it on over his undershirt, buttoning it slowly. "Perfect."

"Glad you approve." Eric grinned at him, a shark's smile, and then stepped up behind Liv and swiftly pulled up the zipper of her dress that had given her so much trouble. He gave her waist a tight squeeze.

"Oh, absolutely. Now don't make me wait too long. I have much planned for you," Talbot replied with an unmistakable leer and a wink before turning on his heel and striding from the room.

"What -?"

"Sit down, Liv," Eric interrupted her, throwing her a hard stare before he disappeared into the bathroom.

He returned a moment later, her cellphone in hand. He still seemed distant, however, the moment of solidarity they had shared in the bathroom gone and forgotten.

"Talbot pointed out that I could just glamour you to settle your nerves," Eric said evenly, holding out the phone to her. "So will you be fine by yourself or would you like me to help you along?"

/Get dressed and pack our things. We'll be leaving soon./

"Please, I don't want to be alone," she pleaded, twisting her hands into the neatly pressed fabric of Eric's new shirt to stop him from drawing back any further. _I don't want you to be alone._

"Don't be difficult, Liv. It's not like you," Eric chided her, impatiently freeing himself from her grasp.

"And this is not like you," Liv retorted, still in a whisper. "Talk to me, please."

She only became aware that she had reached out to Eric when he had already evaded her touch and she stumbled over what might have been her intention. What she might have seen. Eric's withdrawal spoke volumes, though, and the implications were like a gust of icy wind, howling through her ribcage, cracking it wide open. Something had happened to change Eric's mind, and it hadn't just been Talbot's suggestion to glamour her.

"You wouldn't approve," Eric said, moving towards the door again and avoiding her eyes. "This is not a democracy, Liv. You don't get a vote. Do as I said."

And then he was gone, leaving Liv alone with the fear and dread that was clawing up her throat.


	24. Ha, noch einen ganzen Tag...

**24\. Ha, noch einen ganzen Tag… - Der Vampyr – Heinrich Marschner**

It felt like hours, an interminable dragging of time. She changed back into her own clothes and pulled on her shoes, gathered what little they had brought with them and then waited for Eric's return in the alleged safety of the bathroom. She didn't know why Eric had changed his mind or why he had spoken to her so harshly, but it didn't release her from the promise she had made him. To follow his orders. To trust him. Just as well as she was able to. She didn't have to like it, though, and it certainly didn't stop her from worrying.

She called Godric on the phone again, who at least kept her from losing it completely, though there really wasn't much he could say, both for a lack of knowledge and for lack of privacy. So instead he told her stories about all the scrapes they had successfully escaped, all the death-defying stunts they had pulled off, emphasizing Eric's strength, his strategic mind, his survival instinct. It helped, if only a little.

Godric fell silent suddenly, in the middle of a sentence, and Liv felt all her muscles tense. "Godric?"

"You'd best get ready, cridiíon imon," Godric replied hurriedly. "I'll see you soon. I -"

He didn't get to finish as the door to the bathroom was forcefully pushed open, proving Liv's suspicion right that the flimsy lock would offer little resistance to a determined intruder. It was Eric, and yet for a moment it seemed like a horrible flashback, the wild look in his eyes, the blood on his clothes, his face, his hands. She took an instinctive step back, banging her already bruised back into the edge of the shower stall. The pain at least startled her enough that she started breathing again.

Eric paused a second, then roughly pulled off his shirt and moved towards her.

"We're leaving," he said, taking the phone from her limp fingers. "Yes. I know, but there's no time. Of course."

He hung up before she could figure out what they had been talking about, though Eric didn't keep her in suspense long. "We have to be gone before Russell gets back. We'll have to fly."

Liv took a deep, fortifying breath, ruthlessly squashing the panic that threatened to overwhelm her. "I'll go put on my jacket."

She didn't wait for a reply, but instead ducked past him and out of the bathroom. She quickly pulled on the jacket she had worn for the outward run, the pockets already filled with all the small necessities she'd brought for the trip. They made the heavy winter jacket even bulkier, though she had still been cold when Eric had speeded them from Shreveport to Jackson. She wished that being cold was even still on the list of things that worried her.

There was no sound, no stir in the air to warn her and she never even saw him. But she saw his death.

His hairy arm wrapped constrictively around her neck - the sudden heat of his body behind her, his forceful breath against her ear. She squeezed her eyes shut and screamed, drowning out whatever he had wanted to threaten her with, felt his hold on her slip. She saw him - a sturdy, square-faced man with dark hair and orange glowing eyes – saw him stumble back and press his hand against his ear with a pained, confused expression on his face, saw Eric appear behind him and snap his neck in one clean, efficient, horrible move.

She dropped to the floor, utterly incapable of moving or even forming one coherent thought as the images flashed before her eyes, moments stretching into seconds, seconds into minutes, minutes into an eternity. Eric tried to talk to her, she was almost certain, but his words couldn't penetrate through the swirling, snarling mess in her mind. It was a relief when she lost consciousness.

v---v

Eric had to react quickly and twist in mid-air when she came awake with a gasp and instinctively struggled against the arms that held her pinned to his cold, hard chest.

"We're almost there," he said, catching her wild-eyed gaze. "Please try to bear up for a few more minutes. Okay?"

She nodded jerkily, the faculty of speech well beyond her at the moment, and squeezed her eyes shut again, burying her face against Eric's shoulder. A few more minutes. She could hold out for a few more minutes. There really was no other choice.

v---v

He set her down gently, but still her legs crumbled beneath her like a house of cards. Godric caught her before she could hit the floor and gathered her carefully and tenderly against his chest. A moment later, he pulled Eric in as well, holding them both close and secure.

"We'll figure something out," he murmured, cupping Eric's face in the palm of his hand. "Tell me what happened."

"Russell Edgington took my family. I saw an opportunity so I took his," Eric answered rigidly. "I killed his lover Talbot."

She'd known that or at least had a strong suspicion regarding, but it was still a shock to hear it confirmed so bluntly, as if the words evoked the gruesome images of everything left unsaid. She didn't need more of those tonight.

"I don't want to hear this," she whispered, pushing out from between the two vampires. "I can't. I just can't."

"You don't have to," Godric promised immediately. "Maybe you would like to take a bath? You're chilled to the bone. Would it be all right if I carried you downstairs?"

"Fine," Liv answered, knowing that she sounded ungracious but unable to help it at the moment. She had so looked forward to seeing Godric again; now she couldn't bring herself to meet his eye. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Godric replied as he swung her easily up into his arms. He was careful with her, as always, but her stomach still rebelled at his too quick movements, a wave of nausea forcing a sound of protest from her mouth. A moment later, he set her down in the downstairs bathroom, leading her over to take a seat on the closed toilet. "Eric, Pam and I will be right outside if you need us."

Liv gave a jerky nod, then quickly grabbed Godric's arm before he could pull back completely. "Godric, I'm scared. Russell... he doesn't care, not about anything or anyone. He didn't when he was still human and certainly doesn't now."

Not after Eric had killed the only person who might have appeased at least some of Russell's destructive urges, she didn't say, but it was probably self-evident.

"We'll figure something out," Godric promised again, lightly caressing her shoulder before drawing back. "You just take care of yourself and let us worry about this."

He softly closed the bathroom door and she immediately wished him back, gripped by an irrational fear that something bad might happen to him, to them, while she was locked in the safety of the bathroom. Safety, or well, something in the vicinity thereof. None of them were really safe. She curled her hands into fists and forced herself to take deep breaths, counting to ten, to twenty, until it wasn't such a struggle anymore.

She didn't know how long she sat there, but when she finally moved and started to undress her fingers were still icy and her clothes felt clammy. Godric had suggested a bath, but she didn't like the possibilities, the temptation that might entail, so instead she stepped under the shower and tilted her head up into the pounding waterfall, hoping it might wash away at least some of the images.

v---v

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence when she finally found the courage to come out of the bathroom, all three vampires turning to look at her. Eric was sitting in the tall leather armchair that Liv had started to think of as his, Pam perched on the armrest with an expression that mirrored her own feelings: a hefty dose of worry, a good helping of sympathy and a pinch of anger. Of course, Pam being Pam, anger was easiest for her to express. Eric looked very much like he'd had an earful.

Godric had pivoted towards her, a timid smile lifting the corners of his mouth, and she didn't hesitate to move into his arms, embracing him tightly, if only for a moment. "Missed you."

"And I you," Godric replied softly, sliding his arm around her waist. "Are you all right, cridiíon imon?"

"No," Liv answered honestly. "But I'm not going to feel better hiding in the bathroom. And I talked to Sookie: Russell was at her house tonight, but then took off suddenly. You might have saved her life."

Eric snorted. "I'd prefer it if you didn't assign some chivalrous motive to my actions, Liv. It rather takes away from the satisfaction and I'd like to enjoy that for the small time remaining."

"Don't talk like you've already given up," Pam snapped.

"Russell's over thrice my age. I'm only being realistic."

"So you kill his lover and then wait for him to kill you?" Liv asked quietly. "Maybe my translation is wrong, but that seems a rather poor attempt at vengeance. _Hämnd_? That's what your father said, isn't it?"

Eric looked at her in surprise, but waited for her to sit down next to Godric before he answered, "You need to work on your pronunciation."

"Sorry. I'll let you teach me if you'd like," Liv murmured, lightly nudging Eric's shin with her toes and then curling up against Godric's side, bending her knees so that she could tuck her feet under the folds of her bathrobe.

"Your pronunciation of my mother tongue wouldn't be my first choice for things I'd like to teach you, but I'll put it on my list," Eric agreed with a fleeting return of humor, but then went back to the intense scrutiny of his hands to avoid their worried eyes.

"It's not impossible to win a fight against an older vampire," Godric offered softly, artlessly tugging a blanket up over Liv's form to keep her warm.

His chest was rising and falling rhythmically with slow, even breaths, which filled her with an almost overwhelming sense of gratitude. Godric regularly forgot to breathe, even when out in public, so this could only be an act of kindness, designed to make her feel better. It worked, of course, even if the topic of conversation was not apt to keep her calm.

"I don't see how I can apply that to this situation," Eric answered broodingly. "I don't have the element of surprise or his blind trust that I will follow orders. If he didn't recognize me before, I'm sure he will have figured it out by now."

He reached for the antique crown that had started them down this path and which Liv hadn't noticed before, lying innocently on the coffee table. He started to turn it slowly between his large hands, his fingers gliding over the incised swirls as if they were telling their own story.

"Russell massacred my family for this, so he could put it on display or bury it in storage, according to his fancy," he said bitterly. "Just another bauble in his collection. Just like Talbot."

"What did he do to you?" Pam asked with surprising gentleness.

"Nothing," Eric replied, dropping the crown back on the coffee table. "But he was the nearest thing to Russell Edgington's heart. He had to die."

He threw Liv a look as he said it, but Pam spoke up again before she was forced to come up with a reply. Pam's voice had grown so soft that it took Liv a moment to figure out that she had switched languages as well, using the same Germanic language whose pronunciation Liv had apparently mangled earlier. It was strangely soothing and for a moment, it seemed that everything would be all right. She closed her eyes and buried her nose against Godric's chest.

Then her cellphone rang, the merry jingle like a trumpet blast to her barely established peace of mind. She reluctantly pried her eyes open again and forced herself into an upright position, feeling the supportive weight of Godric's arm around her.

"It's the queen," Eric said, offering her the phone that he must have gotten from the pile of her discarded clothes in the bathroom.

"Oh," Liv mumbled, a few seconds slipping by while she stared dumbly at the flashing caller ID before she could bring herself to answer. "Hello?"

"Hi, Liv, I just wanted to check if you're free Wednesday afternoon? I got coupons for a new spa that just opened and -"

"We're back home so you don't have to speak in code," Liv interrupted her before Sophie-Anne's act could become any more elaborate. "And humans don't usually call each other at four o'clock in the morning to discuss potential spa dates."

"You're dating a vampire. I knew you'd still be awake," Sophie-Anne pointed out bossily.

Liv sighed quietly, pressing a little closer against said vampire. "How are you?"

"Well, judging by the state of my home I could be a lot worse," Sophie-Anne replied breezily. "My guards are dead, there's blood in the pool and dirty paw prints all over the floor and the Magister is missing. Is Eric with you? I need to speak to him."

"Yes, of course," Liv said, holding the phone out to Eric, who took it from her hand and started to pace as he listened intently to what Sophie-Anne had to say, only giving sporadic, monosyllabic answers.

Maybe she should have been grateful that she wouldn't have to hear anymore grisly details or offhand mentions of people who had been made casualties to Eric's quest for revenge or the king and queen's scheming against each other. She wasn't feeling particularly grateful, though. Angsty. Unsafe. Weary. Above all, weary.

"That buys us some time at least." Eric's comment pulled her back from the edge of sleep and when she blinked her eyes open, she found that he had ended the call and put down the phone.

They still seemed worried, all in their own ways, but maybe a little less desperate, a little less resigned. It should have been good news, but Liv couldn't shake the lurking shadows in her mind. She hadn't made skin contact yet, not with Godric or Pam, certainly not with Eric. She didn't dare.

"What happened?" Liv asked, trying to convince herself that it wasn't a diversionary tactic.

"After your well-timed warning to Sophie-Anne, she got herself to safety and then contacted the Magister to tell him about Russell's plans for her," Godric explained, lightly stroking her back as if he could caress away her worries. "She convinced him that he would be able lend some much needed substance to her refusal of Russell's marriage proposal. So the Magister was waiting for Russell when he arrived at Sophie-Anne's mansion."

"And now he's missing?"

"Presumed dead," Eric added helpfully. "The Authority dispatched an envoy to Jackson to question Russell, and we'll have to give statements tomorrow night."

"Do we have to leave again?" Liv asked after a short hesitation, her mind still reeling with this new information.

"No, they'll come to Fangtasia," Godric assured her. "But -"

"I'm not leaving you," Liv interrupted him, quieting him with her glare. "You're my home, remember?"

"It might be safer if you were to visit your aunts for a couple of days," Godric suggested, carefully grasping her elbows and pulling her a little closer.

"You never lied to me before – don't start now," Liv pleaded, returning Godric's hold and tightening her fingers until they almost hurt. "None of us will be safe until this is over."

"Oh, Liv, I just wish I could shield you from this."

"You can't. I've been inside his head; I'm fully aware what he's capable of," she said quietly, before turning to Eric. "I know you're hurting, but yours isn't the only family he killed."

"Hundreds of crowns, I remember," Eric replied with a sigh.

Liv forcefully shook her head, swallowing against a new surge of panic. "He killed his own family. He told his brother, his maker, that it was an accident, but it wasn't. He enjoyed it. He enjoyed all of it."

She wanted to say more, wanted to warn them of all the skeletons she had sensed in the closets of Russell's mind. But there were no details she could give, no words to describe this feeling, the sheer terror he invoked in her. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths instead, trying to ignore the uncomfortable silence that followed in the wake of her declaration.

"We won't underestimate him," Godric promised finally, taking her firmly into his arms and dropping a kiss into her hair.

As reassurances went it was rather on the skinny side, but it was still somehow soothing to have her fears acknowledged, validated, especially as she knew for herself that her information hadn't been particularly helpful. She closed her eyes again, listening with half an ear as the three vampires tried to figure out their next move.

A delicate touch to her shoulder jerked her from her light doze. "Liv, what else did Sookie say to you?" Eric patiently repeated his question.

"Nothing really." Liv murmured, thinking of the few terse texts they had exchanged. "I wanted to check that she was okay" – _not dead_ – "and she said that Bill took her home and that they were still talking things through when Russell showed up with his wolves. He tried to abduct her again, then disappeared. You can read her texts if you'd like, but she didn't give any more details."

"He went to Sookie's after he had already tried to see the queen?" Pam demanded. "That doesn't make any sense. I thought you convinced him to use Sookie as a courting gift?"

"I thought I did," Eric answered. "Did he say anything about why he wanted her?"

"If he did, she didn't tell me. I could ask her again, but..." She shook her head. "I think she's angry with you and I doubt she would trust me with any of her secrets right now."

"Oh, right. I had to handle her a little roughly while we were in Jackson – she wasn't quite so understanding about it as you," Eric said with a brief smile in her direction before he started to pace again. "Russell was very interested in her, though."

"That seems to be a common theme," Pam commented acerbically, crossing her arms over her chest. "But if Russell wants her, we could use her."

"I believe we're well past the stage of bargaining, Pam," Godric refuted her gently before Liv could voice her own protest. "As Liv said, we won't be safe until Russell is dead and Miss Stackhouse seems an unreliable ally at best. We shall not involve her. Though, perhaps the Authority will lend some assistance if we can convince them that there's a need to act."

"Perhaps," Eric agreed, though he sounded rather doubtful. "We'll have to wait for the results of their inquest, in any case, so there's nothing more we can do right now. Unless there's some more information you could give us."

Liv didn't need to open her eyes to know that he was looking at her or to hear Godric's quiet sound of protest to realize that her heart had started to thump madly in her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut against the sudden sting of helpless, hysterical tears, and tried to muster her last reserves of strength, courage and optimism - even though she felt sick to her stomach with dread at the mere thought of what she might see.

"Do you need that information tonight?" she asked, striving for a businesslike tone that was utterly ruined by the tremble in her voice.

"No," Godric replied immediately, his hands on her infinitely gentle and loving, as weightless as a feather. "You already went far beyond what we should ever have dared to ask of you. It's enough."

"I just… I have this feeling. A bad feeling," she whispered faintly, resting her forehead against Godric's strong chest. "The vision I had before, about Eric hurting his shoulder - I've seen it again and it wasn't the past. And…"

"You wouldn't have seen it if it couldn't lead to my death," Eric finished for her, sighing at her nod. "Godric's right. I've put you through enough these last few days. If you still want to help us, at the very least you deserve a few hours of sleep and quiet first."

"Of course I will help," Liv replied quietly, doing her best to return Eric's tired smile. "Maybe we could all use some sleep, though."

It was early morning by then, close to or already past sunrise. Godric and Eric still seemed reasonably alert, but Pam was listing slightly to the left, her eyes losing focus between increasingly more frequent blinks. She only raised a token protest when Eric shepherded her into the guest bedroom and was out like a light as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Eric spent a few more minutes fiddling with the security system and zapping through the feeds from the surveillance cameras to check that everything was calm upstairs before he slipped into bed next to Godric and Liv. When they were all settled comfortably - Liv tucked safely into the covers and Godric's and Eric's arms wrapped around her and around each other like a Gordian knot – she at last managed to breathe a little easier. The sun was up. For now, they were safe.


	25. V. Im Tempo des Scherzos

**25\. V. Im Tempo des Scherzos - Symphony No. 2 – Gustav Mahler**

"I assume you know who I am and why you're here?"

"Yes, ma'am," Liv agreed softly, sitting down in the chair Godric had pulled out for her; she felt his hands settle lightly on her shoulders, his thumbs tracing soothing circles over her collarbones. She twisted her own hands together to contain their shaking. "You're Miss Flanagan, the spokeswoman of the AVL, and I was told that you wanted to ask me some questions about Russell Edgington."

"Good, that will save us some time," the blond vampire stated regally, giving a sign for the web cameras to be switched on again so that her interview could be transmitted directly to the Vampire Authority.

Fangtasia had been closed for the night, but Nan Flanagan had brought a substantial retinue of vampire and human guards with her that were dotted along the walls like large black flies. Eric had been interviewed first, though Liv had still been at home when that had taken place, a little unwell, as Godric had kindly and inaccurately put it. Terrified. Even that seemed an inadequate word when her visions had left her quaking in terror, shaken to the core. It had taken her a long time to calm down enough to tell Godric and Eric what they needed to know in all its gruesome details. Not that it had helped.

"You were a guest of Russell Edgington in Jackson, Mississippi, is that correct?" Nan Flanagan started her line of inquiry, straightening the lapels of her slick black leather jacket that made her look harder and edgier than the soft, pastel-colored skirt suits she favored on TV.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but no," Liv answered softly. "Eric was his guest. I was… extra luggage, I suppose."

The female vampire made a sound of impatience, turning to glare at Godric. "This could be accomplished much more efficiently if you allowed us to glamour her."

"No," Godric said simply, giving Liv's shoulders a light, encouraging squeeze that somehow only made her more aware of the schism between them. Miss Flanagan sighed expansively and rolled her eyes before she resumed her questioning.

"Did Russell Edgington mention the Magister in your presence?"

"Yes, during dinner on our first night there. Eric had told him about the charges against Bill Compton and that the Magister was expecting to see results soon. Mr. Edgington called the Magister several unflattering names and then said that there might be a way to 'solve all of their problems'."

"Did he give any specifics?"

Liv shook her head. "Not in my presence."

The female vampire touched one hand to her blue-lighted earbud for a moment before she asked her next question, "What was your impression of the relationship between Russell Edgington and his consort Talbot Angelis?"

Liv hesitated a moment, not having expected that question. Eric had instructed her to be as truthful as possible, but obviously there were still aspects that she had to withhold: Eric's and the queen's role in selling vampire blood, her own abilities and her visions of the queen's death, Talbot's murder. She resisted the urge to glance over to where the tall Viking was leaning against the bar.

"Talbot didn't seem happy. I think he felt unappreciated and he flirted with Eric rather aggressively," Liv finally offered. "I know it's not my place to judge, but I thought they were unkind to each other, both in their words and in their actions. Maybe that happens when you've had centuries to hoard your resentments."

"What do you know about the dead bodies we discovered on the estate?"

"One of Mr. Edgington's guards said that someone named Cooter and a female vampire were killed when Bill Compton escaped. I think the female vampire must have been his maker, Lorena. Eric told me that Mr. Edgington ordered Lorena to kill Bill Compton for his defiance."

To Liv, Miss Flanagan seemed quite unhappy with her reply, particularly at the recurring mention of Bill Compton, and she could well imagine why. She recognized several of the guards the female vampire had brought with her - from her vision of Sophie-Anne's death. Godric had had to excuse her skyrocketing heartbeat with a general unease around guns and the usual excitability of humans, but for Liv it had all clicked into place in that moment, as if she had managed to turn on the director's commentary to her vision. She only wished she could do the same for Godric and Eric.

"Do you know anything about the dead vampire in one of the upstairs studies?" Flanagan clarified, looking like she was grinding her teeth between words.

"There was another vampire. Franklin?" she turned to Eric for confirmation. "He was hurt badly, his head bashed in. Mr. Edgington said to lock him in his room."

"Franklin Mott," Eric added for clarification. "He was caught up in Compton's escape as well… and in his own women's trouble."

"I see," Flanagan said and then closed this line of questioning, instead changing the subject to what Russell had revealed about his plans for the queen.

Finally, she tilted her head to listen to whatever the unseen members of the Authority were telling her, making several remarks in the affirmative before she declared that she would fly to Portland right away and cut the connection.

"What? Is that it?" Eric demanded, taking a step towards the female vampire, which sent an agitated ripple through the assorted guards.

She sighed in annoyance. "Listen, you ungrateful sod. If it were up to me, we'd be pursuing a more elegant solution. But as it is, the evidence presented by the queen is inconveniently conclusive, and thus the Authority will review your statements. Meanwhile I will do my best to recuperate an entire night's worth of airtime to promote the VRA. Believe it or not, I do have better things to do than to clean up your messes."

"Miss Flanagan, Russell Edgington is a threat to our very existence," Eric insisted, taking another step towards her as she got up and turned to leave.

"He is also a king - one who's just donated a half a million dollars to the same American Vampire League you say he's trying to bring down. Weird, huh?" she asked sarcastically. "Bring in a couple of spare coffins for Sheriff Northman and his… whatever you are." She looked disdainfully from Pam to Godric, seeming more discomfited by Godric's mild smile than by Pam's threateningly arched eyebrow. "You're on lockdown till the Authority makes its ruling."

With that, she strode from the club, taking a good half of the black storm troopers with her. The rest went to guard the exits.

"I need a drink," Liv muttered, shrugging off Godric's hands and striding to the bar, slipping behind it to stare blankly at the various bottles and taps. Pam joined her behind the counter a moment later, fished a bottle from one of the top shelves and poured her two inches of the amber liquid. Alcohol probably wouldn't help, but the way she was feeling she doubted it could hurt.

"Thank you, Pam. What did she mean about the queen presenting conclusive evidence?" she asked, though the answer seemed inconsequential at best. She took deliberately large gulp from her drink and felt it burn down her sore throat, which at least gave her something to distract her from the viciousness inside her head.

"You should ask her that yourself. She'll be here soon," Eric offered, checking something on his phone. "If you'll excuse Pam and I; there's some paperwork we need to go through with my lawyer."

"Paperwork?" Pam demanded incredulously, suddenly up in Eric's face. "What paperwork could possibly be more important than coming up with a fucking plan to defeat Russell Edgington?"

"My last will and testament," Eric answered drily, using Pam's momentary speechlessness to continue, "And we have a plan, even if you've let yourself be infected by Liv's fit of hysteria."

It felt like a punch to the gut, her breath catching in her throat and her heart stuttering in her chest even as she forced herself to remain upright, to preserve some last shreds of dignity. Her hands shook as she brought the glass up to her lips for another swallow. She refused to look up until both Pam and Eric had left for his office.

"You're angry," Godric observed softly.

"Apparently I'm hysterical," Liv replied acidly, trying to ignore the wounded look on Godric's face and how miserable it all made her feel.

"He shouldn't have said that," Godric agreed, which was a surprisingly censorious statement coming from him. "He's under a lot of stress."

"I know," she pressed out, but then looked up at last and felt the anger slip out of her grasp, like sand spilling from a broken hourglass. "I know."

She felt the tears start rolling down her cheeks, hysterical tears, and she hated herself for her weakness.

"Come, sit down," Godric suggested gently, taking the glass from her trembling fingers and carefully leading her over to one of the seating booths where he proceeded to wrap her in his arms, tucking her securely in against his chest. "I'm sorry, Liv."

"You're sorry about the wrong damn thing," she replied, angrily swiping at her wet cheeks with her fingers. "Why did you even ask if you weren't going to listen?"

"Of course we listened. The information you gave us is invaluable," Godric protested, lightly stroking her back, her sides, her arms, up and down, repetitive, soothing; only it wasn't. "And I understand why you're frightened. Russell Edgington is one of the oldest and most dangerous vampires in the world and his rage is focused on us. But, Liv, Eric and I have fought side by side for centuries and together we are just as deadly. I can promise you that."

Liv shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut against the hot sting of further tears. "It feels like Dallas again," she whispered. "And I don't even know if you care enough to want to survive."

"Liv…"

"Don't."

"I love you!" Godric's outburst was sudden and more forceful than he had probably intended, though his tone and touch were soft again a moment later. "I love you, cridiíon imon. My love, my heart, that's what it means. That's what you are. I love you."

"How can you say that to me now, when being angry is the only thing that keeps me from falling apart completely?" Liv demanded, but couldn't help but lean into Godric's gentle touch as he started to dab at her wet cheeks with a corner of his shirt sleeve. "It's not fair."

"I know it's not. None of this is fair to you," Godric admitted quietly. "But I needed you to hear it so that you'll believe me when I say that I will do everything in my power to survive this. I promise."

"Then why?" Liv asked, exhausted with tears and panic and desperation.

Godric sighed, pressing a kiss into her hair before he finally answered, "Eric and I worked out a plan that allows us to play to our strengths and gives us every possible advantage. Changing it would mean losing those advantages and it might all be for naught. Do you know the story of Oedipus?"

"I do not need a lesson on self-fulfilling prophecies right now," Liv snapped, pushing away from Godric and drawing further back when he reached out to her. "I would like to be alone for a while, if you don't mind."

Godric did mind, of course, but he was too polite to refuse her. "Call me if you need anything," he said, sending her a last pleading, mournful look before he disappeared down the hallway in a flash.

She wanted to call him back as soon as he was gone and she was left alone with her fear and dread and the terrible certainty that she would lose them and that there was nothing more she could say. Because somewhere between her falling asleep and waking to find both Godric and Eric already up, they had hatched a battle plan, one that aligned horrifyingly with her visions of their deaths. She had argued, pleaded, begged, and so had Pam, who was the only one who seemed to have taken her warnings seriously. But Godric and Eric hadn't been swayed. Forewarned is forearmed, Godric had said. You're only seeing possibilities, Eric had pointed out. We know what we're doing, they had alleged. If her throat hadn't been raw already she would have screamed.

She forced herself to take a few minutes to dry her tears and sip the rest of her drink, trying to compose herself enough that she could at least pretend to be calm and reasonable and not consumed by fear. She then got up to follow after the vampires, not surprised when Godric met her in the hallway. He hesitantly folded his arms around her, tucking her head under his chin and making a soft questioning sound.

"I love you, too, and I don't want to be angry at you. I don't want to fight," Liv whispered, pressing a kiss to Godric's chest. "I'm sorry."

For a moment, Godric smiled at her, wide and boyish, so unrestrainedly happy and carefree that it stole her breath. Then his expression softened into something a little more subdued, but no less heartfelt. "I don't want to fight with you, either, cridiíon imon. Do you want to come into Eric's office? The queen just arrived."

Liv hesitated briefly. "Is Eric finished with the… the paperwork?"

"All done," Eric answered, swinging the door open wide, completely unrepentant about having eavesdropped again. "Come in. It's bad manners to keep a queen waiting."

"You'd know all about that, of course," Sophie-Anne commented, uncrossing her legs and somehow getting up gracefully from the low, worn-down sofa. "This so-called piece of furniture is an insult. You need to redecorate in here, maybe go for something a little more shabby-chic instead of just shabby."

"Of course, your majesty, I'll get right on that," Eric replied dryly, pushing Liv into the room with a light hand resting in the small of her back.

"You do that," Sophie-Anne agreed before turning her focus onto Liv. "Oh my, you do look dreadful."

Under normal circumstances, Liv would have been at least slightly embarrassed by such a statement, especially when weighed against Sophie-Anne's impeccable beauty and Pam's self-assured sex appeal, but right then, she just couldn't muster the energy.

"It's good to see you again, your majesty," she murmured, allowing Godric to steer her into the seat the queen had just abandoned. She grasped his arm to pull him down next to her, settling in against his side and trying to soak up some of his unshakeable calm.

"Miss Flanagan seemed rather put out by whatever evidence you gave to the Authority," Eric ventured when no-one else endeavored to move the conversation along.

Sophie-Anne huffed. "I can well imagine. No doubt she was hoping to pin the Magister's death on a more palatable scapegoat, wrap it all up neatly and be done with it. She can't do that now."

"The evidence is that conclusive then?" Godric asked.

"Oh, I'd say so," Sophie-Anne replied with a viciously satisfied smile. "Other than the physical evidence – Russell seems to have tasked his werewolves with the clean-up -" She snorted derisively. "I also provided the Authority with an audio recording of Russell's sojourn at my home."

"You bugged your own home?" Eric half-asked, half-stated.

"It was a recent precaution," Sophie-Anne replied easily. "I wanted to be prepared in case Bill took it upon himself to conspire with my staff. And it did pay off, after all. Russell sprouted a lot of nonsense, of course, things that do not reflect the party line, and he made no secret of his contempt for the Authority in general and the Magister in particular."

"That's good, though, isn't it?" Liv asked, trying to find a silver lining. "If he's proven guilty…"

"He will still be a three-thousand-year-old vampire and not in their custody," Eric finished her sentence, squashing even the last ounce of her optimism. "They might well decide to cut their losses rather than to risk an open confrontation."

It took the breath right out of her lungs, a tightness in her chest that made every beat of her heart feel like a sledgehammer against her ribs. Godric made a sound of distress, curling his arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer so that she could feel the rhythmic up and down of his breathing. Nothing more than window dressing, a well-intentioned lie.

"Should I have sugarcoated it for you?" Eric asked uneasily, offering her a tissue box and looking very uncomfortable. "I thought you would prefer the truth."

Liv swallowed her first response. She'd said it all before and repeating it now would only make all of them feel worse. Instead she plucked a tissue from the box and blotted her tears, resolutely forbidding herself from descending into panic again, and even mustering a crooked smile for Eric. The tall vampire already looked like he'd taken a bath in guilt and self-recriminations. She didn't want to add to that.

"It's fine," she said; if they heard the lie they were kind enough not to comment on it.

Godric breathed a small kiss against her wet cheek, smiling encouragingly. "The evidence against Russell will still help us. The Authority might give us ressources and even if they won't actively side with us, at least they won't act against us."

"What about Liv?" Pam demanded, apparently not yet tired of having this same argument again, though Sophie-Anne spoke up before she could ready her second volley.

"Yes, what about Liv?" she asked, suddenly perched primly on Liv's other side and sending her a wide smile. "I feel we could all use some good news right now. If I might trouble you for another reading?"

Liv shook her head jerkily, fished her phone out of her pocket with trembling fingers and typed out a hasty message to show to the queen: /I recognize some of those guards from my visions. I think Nan Flanagan and Bill Compton have been working together, conspiring against you./

The queen accepted her phone with a light furrow between her ginger eyebrows. "Interesting. But why did you write that down?"

Liv hesitated uncertainly, wondering if she was the only one who was concerned about all the vampire guards being privy to their conversation.

"This room is soundproof," Eric offered, apparently picking up on her worries. "You can speak freely."

"Oh, I didn't know that," Liv murmured, accepting her phone back and then looking warily down at the queen's extended hand, fine-boned and perfectly manicured and so pale the skin seemed almost translucent. "I'm not your pet psychic."

It came out a little less firmly than she had hoped, given that upsetting the queen was the last thing she wanted to do right then, though she still felt justified in saying it.

Sophie-Anne gave her a gracious nod before she declared, as if issuing a royal decree, "Of course not. You're not anyone's pet and we will certainly keep it that way. Now – about my request. I promise I won't make you scream."

She wiggled her fingers and sent her another toothy smile. Liv hesitated a second longer before she gave in, something about Sophie-Anne's optimism soothing her fears of having to see yet another horrible death vision. There was a moment of quiet before she slipped easily into Sophie-Anne's past, into the reassuringly familiar dinginess of the hut where the human girl called Judith had died and the vampire Sophie-Anne had been born. It was orderly and unexciting and utterly predictable, invoking no stronger emotion in her than a commercial break on TV. She could have looked deeper, she was sure, but it was just as easy to draw back and sever the connection. For once, she felt in control.

"Thank you," she whispered to the queen, carefully pulling her hand free. "That was…. I didn't see the future. Thank you."

"I believe the thanks for that should go squarely to you," Sophie-Anne replied with a friendly nod. "Your warning changed my future, of that I'm certain now."

"It was Eric's idea," Liv murmured. "I wouldn't have thought of calling you under that name."

The queen hummed thoughtfully, turning to study the tall vampire. "Well, I'm glad to hear to it, then, although I would have liked you to apply your mental faculties to other matters as well, preferably before pissing off a three-thousand-year-old madman."

"You're welcome, your majesty," Eric replied, ignoring the scathing look that accompanied her last words.

"If I may, there is a favor I would like to ask of you," Godric spoke up, addressing the queen. "Would you allow Liv to stay with you for a while until this issue has been resolved?"

"What?" Liv demanded, startling up from her comfortable lean against Godric's chest and twisting around to stare at him. "You want to send me away?"

"I need you to be safe," Godric replied with a pleading look, carefully tugging the sleeves of her shirt over her hands and taking them between his.

"In my vision he says that he's coming for me next," Liv reminded him, trying not to think about all the other horrible threats Russell would whisper in Eric's ear. "And I can't hide forever, not when his forever is so much longer than mine."

"We can't have you there to distract us," Eric argued, almost gently, though that didn't detract from the impact of his words. "You'd be a liability."

"Eric!" Godric admonished him sharply, squeezing Liv's fingers.

"It's fine," Liv said in exhaustion. "I know you think this is your best course of action. I know you believe that. But I don't understand how recreating my vision down to the last detail will prevent it from happening."

"We're not -" Eric started but Pam interrupted him angrily, "You got that fucking silver sword out of storage even though Liv warned you that it would end up in your own shoulder! You're running scared and right into a trap of your own making and I won't -"

"You're free to go, Pam," Eric snapped back, using his impressive height to tower over her. "In fact, I will release you right now if that is your wish. But if you choose to stay, you will stop distracting me with these pointless reiterations and do as I tell you! Are we clear?"

"Perfectly," Pam replied through a clenched yaw.

"See that you remember it this time," Eric gave back in the same tone, waiting for Pam to subside into a less confrontational stance before he took a small step back as well.

"Impressive, Sheriff Northman," the queen commented with palpable irony. "Always a sign of a good argument if you have to enforce it with threats." She turned to Liv with a smile before Eric could defend himself. "Of course you can stay with us. I bought Hadley a delightful little place downtown. Not overly spacious, but I'm sure we can squeeze you in."

"Thank you," Liv replied, echoed by Godric.

"You're welcome. Now, regarding these visions." She shushed Eric with an imperiously raised hand. "Your objection has been duly noted, Eric, but I don't make it a habit of going into situations half-informed. Pamela, why don't you fill me in? You two are dismissed."

"Do you want to come with me, Liv?" Godric asked carefully while Eric just wordlessly swiveled on his heel and disappeared down into the basement, probably for the most fitting environment to brood. "We could listen to some music. You don't need to hear this again."

"You should go with Eric," Liv answered, pressing a kiss to Godric's shoulder before gently disentangling from his hold. "I'm worried about him and I don't think he should be alone right now. I'll be fine here."

Godric didn't sigh or give any other indication that he was unhappy about her decision, but he held onto her wrist a moment longer, bringing her hand to his lips and breathing a kiss over her fingers. She could read the apology in his eyes.

"I think we should have a nice, drama-free night when this is all over," she said, trying herself on a teasing smile.

Godric flashed her a quick, grateful grin. "Definitely, cridiíon imon."

He blew another kiss over the back of her hand and she resisted the urge to lean in for a proper kiss. Maybe it would help to bridge this gap between them, these inconsolable differences. More like, it would push her into another vision and she wasn't sure if she had the strength to handle that. Godric seemed to read her mind again, giving her another smile and dropping one more kiss into her hair before he followed Eric down into the basement.

"You two are ridiculously sweet even when you're fighting. How boring," the queen commented with a roll of her eyes, not giving Liv a chance to reply before she turned to Pam, "You were saying?"

Pam took up her report on Liv's visions and Eric's reaction again and Liv was grateful for her precise, matter-of-fact narration that almost made it bearable to have to think about this again. Though, if she was honest with herself she hadn't ever stopped thinking about it.

"So you see all of them die?" Sophie-Anne asked for clarification when Pam had finished.

"I see Godric and Eric die when I touch them. And in Eric's vision I see Russell kill first Godric, then Pam and finally Eric," Liv said, speaking quickly both to get it over with and because it was a relief to finally have someone listen to her. "But it doesn't make sense: I don't see Pam's true death when I touch her. She doesn't die."

Sophie-Anne hummed thoughtfully. "Could it be a ruse?"

"No," Liv answered firmly, curling her hands into fists at the gruesome image of Pam ceasing to exist in a spray of her own blood. "No, stake to the heart. There's no way to fake that."

"It has to mean something," Pam half asked, half stated.

"It's certainly curious," the queen agreed. "Though, you've only just begun to actively use and practise your gifts. This might amount to be nothing more than a clerical error."

"That's what they think," Liv admitted despondently. "They believe that going ahead with their plan, even if it could very well lead exactly to what I've foreseen is their best chance to exploit Russell's weaknesses."

"One has to wonder what weaknesses they might be referring to," the queen replied, a little too studiously indifferent for Liv's peace of mind. "Russell will be stronger, faster, more resilient to silver and less affected by tiredness during the day."

"There will be three of us," Pam said defensively, even if she had made that same argument earlier with Eric and Godric. "And we have some surprises for him in store."

Eric's silver sword, colloidal silver and other weapons made of the material. Blaring sounds and flashing lights. Liv had seen all that wreaking destruction on Pam's bungalow style house, which they had picked as the venue because it was less open than Eric's home, with smaller windows and only one point of entry. Liv had seen all that fail. It wouldn't be enough.

"I can see why you're worried," the queen said, making Liv's heart drop into her stomach. "I take it Godric doesn't listen to you, either?"

"Oh, he listens," Liv replied, unable to keep the bitterness from her voice. "But he only hears my panic. And I can't even fault him for that because I don't have facts or certainties or any helpful suggestions. I just have this **feeling**. And it's not enough to convince them."

"Have you practised your scream?" Sophie-Anne asked, at least doing her the courtesy of not trying to explain away her fear as a product of her overstressed nerves as Godric had done in an apologetic, well-meaning tone of voice.

"I tried, but the most I managed was to startle some birds," Liv admitted, not adding how foolish she had felt screaming her lungs out on Eric's sunlit grounds. "I think I might need something to trigger them. Without that, it's just a normal scream and I doubt Russell would be fazed by that."

"Perhaps we could explore your abilities together," the queen offered with a bit too much eagerness.

"I think we have other priorities right now… your majesty," Pam said, the honorific tacked on rather belatedly. "No offense, but we're running out of time and this is not helpful."

"Is there something, anything?" Liv asked, pleaded. "Humans get frail with old age. How can it be the complete opposite with vampires?"

"Those are the rules - fair or no - we all must adhere to," the queen said with an elegant shrug. "Though… there is one instance where that might be to Russell's detriment. But it would take some very careful maneuvering and a treasure trove of goblin's gold – and even then it might not be advisable."

"What they're planning is not advisable," Pam pointed out, her anger just barely managing to mask her fear.

"Please, your majesty," Liv begged softly. "Please, tell us. If there is even a chance… we need to take it or they are going to die."


	26. Ritt der Walküren

**26\. Ritt der Walküren – Die Walküre – Richard Wagner**

Liv's fingers were hurting from how tightly she was clenching her hands, every muscle in her body locked with unbearable tension. She forced herself to spread her hands wide, counted to ten, and then reached up to tangled her fingers in the heavy gold chain around her neck, making the even heavier gold medallion swing gently between her breasts. It wasn't quite a treasure trove, nor was she sure that she could put her faith in what the queen claimed was genuine goblin's gold, but its warm weight was nonetheless reassuring, a physical reminder that they had a plan, a last Hail Mary to avert her visions before they could become a reality.

She clung to that and to the feeble bit of hope left to her, to the queen's interpretation that the fact that she could touch Pam without triggering a vision of her imminent demise might be because Pam had decided to pursue a different path than the one prescribed by Eric and Godric. It had only hardened Pam's resolve, of course, but to Liv, that explanation and the suggestion of an actual plan B had been like a door, a staircase out of the abysses of her mind. A light in the darkness.

Eric hadn't seen it that way. He had choked off Pam's arguments with bared fangs and a few words so vicious that Liv hadn't dared to raise her own voice. She had tried to broach the subject with Godric a little later, but he had interrupted her with an almost exhausted plea for her to trust him and to trust in the plan they already had. She hadn't had the heart, or truth be told, the strength for another argument.

Overall, the atmosphere had been tense and hadn't improved when Miss Flanagan had returned – sooner than they had expected – to relay the Authority's verdict. Liv had been asked to leave the room, but from Godric's terse summary she understood that the Authority had decided to wash their hands clean of the entire matter and adopt a wait-and-see approach until further notice. After they had left - the night club strangely empty without the armed guards' all-too-noticeable presence - Pam had tried to speak up again, but Eric hadn't even allowed her to finish one sentence before commanding her to shut up, doing a poor job of hiding his growing panic and fraying nerves.

Liv had seen it in Godric as well, particularly when the queen had declared her intention to leave and Godric had once again pleaded with her to accompany Sophie-Anne so that she would be safe. He had dismissed her own pleas, with faked confidence and promises that had started to sound almost patronizing. It had been more than a little hurtful, but she didn't want to part on a bad note, didn't want to say anything she might never be able to take back, so she had given in, told Godric that she loved him, asked them both to be safe and watch out for each other and departed with Sophie-Anne.

Pam had left with them, ostensibly because she needed time not to want to kill Eric herself, but the sharp look she had cast at Liv had told another story. Liv had nodded once in answer to the unvoiced question. Godric and Eric needed their help, whether they wanted to admit it or not - and fortunately, though she would have preferred to have their approval, their plan didn't hinge on it.

Sophie-Anne had also remained skeptical, but she must have realized that Pam and Liv would go through with this plan, with or without her assistance. So she had helped them to iron out the details and made all the necessary arrangements, including Liv's return to Pam's home under the cover of daylight.

She tried to think of it as clinically as possible. As if this was nothing more than a surgery, something routine like a tonsillectomy or a gastric bypass, still a risk, of course, but calculable and therefore manageable. All the briefings were done, the paperwork in order, the instruments laid at the ready, banked blood procured and kept in reserve. Everything else would be in God's hands, or failing that, down to sheer dumb luck and chance.

She sighed quietly, checking the slowly blinking numbers of the radio-controlled clock, then pressed the wake button on her phone to compare the time, just to be certain. Eleven minutes. They had to stay alive for eleven more minutes. And if their plan failed, Godric would die in sixteen.

Pam's home had many of the same state-of-the-art security features as Eric's house, including a comprehensive video surveillance system. The video feeds were transmitted to the light-tight, soundproof and thankfully ventilated panic room where Liv was now hiding, though she had turned off the monitors as soon as Russell had arrived and the fighting had begun. If she saw, if she watched, she wouldn't have the strength to stick to the plan. She'd try to help and as Eric had pointed out so kindly, she would only be a liability. For ten more minutes.

She got to her feet and stripped off her soft hoodie jacket with forced calm, leaving her in a form-fitting long-sleeved shirt, and wound her hair into a simple braid. Eight minutes. She reached for the bag of supplies Sophie-Anne had lent her, the heavy contents clinking and sliding around with a metallic whisper. She slipped on the silver cuffs first, quickly and methodically fastening the clasps and adjusting them so that the vulnerable skin of her inner wrists was completely covered. They looked too thin and flimsy as that they could offer any real protection against a vampire as old and strong as Russell Edgington, but maybe they would be at least a small deterrent.

The next piece of armor, however, might well decide their fate. The chainmail settled heavily over her shoulders, the almost delicate silver links ending in a triangle over her breastbone and covering the padded leather collar that wrapped tightly around her neck. She fastened it just below her chin so that her throat was hidden under a veil of silver. She couldn't allow Russell to impede her speech or cut off her voice. She wouldn't. Two minutes.

She switched on the monitors again, swallowing heavily as she took in the destruction that had been wreaked on Pam's home. There was no sound, but the grainy images showed a scene that was already eerily similar to her vision. Godric was still on his feet, as far as she could tell from the streaks of movement, and Pam was propped up against the couch, a deep cut on her forehead dripping blood into her eyes and generally looking worse for wear, but still standing, still waiting for an opening.

But Eric, Eric was down, exactly as in her vision. Still alive, but pinned to the floor with his silver broad sword, twisting desperately to free himself, but only aggravating the wound in his shoulder and draining his strength. The floor beneath him was dark and slick with blood.

Her phone chimed, the image of a rising sun flashing on the screen, and she didn't hesitate.

The door to the panic room opened with a nearly soundless release of pressure. It had been added by one of the house's previous owners and the door was fitted into the back of Pam's expansive and well-filled walk-in closet, almost invisible behind a wall of clothes. She moved quickly through Pam's wardrobe, her bedroom, down the short hallway, knowing that any attempt at stealth would be futile if – and fortunately that was a big if – any of the vampires were paying attention. She could hear the fighting now, such a cacophony of breaking furniture, shattering glass, inarticulate sounds of rage and pain that it seemed impossible there were so few people involved.

The door stood slightly ajar and she slipped through the crack, already starting to speak and trying not to choke on the scream that built in the back of her throat, the oppressive sense of death that hit her as soon as she crossed the threshold, "Russell Edgington -"

She heard the sudden break in noise first, saw Godric's limp form fall to the floor second, felt her heart jump in her chest when she looked up into Russell's blood-smeared visage last. The vampire grinned at her, his fangs glistening sickly with Godric's blood and she resisted the urge to look down at her fallen vampire, to turn towards Eric or Pam, knowing that she couldn't afford any distraction.

"So kind of you to join us, my dear," Russell all but purred, something dark and unhinged in his eyes, and the politeness of his speech lost beneath the danger he exuded. "Saves me the trouble of having to find you. If you could just wait your turn? I'm almost finished here."

"May I say something?" Liv asked, making no attempt to hide the tremor in her voice. If she could speak with his permission, Pam would not have to create a distraction – something she hardly seemed capable of at the moment.

"Oh, of course, I'm a huge fan of last words." Russell made a mocking hand gesture, still with that same manic grin and still uncomfortably close. Pam was moving up behind him; Eric was shouting at her to get out; Godric was deathly still.

She took a deep breath, "Russell Edgington… you're not a good person and you're not -" She swallowed and cleared her throat while he watched her with obvious amusement, no doubt expecting her to add a childish insult or issue some laughable threat. "- welcome here."

She snapped out the last two words just as Pam launched herself at Russell's back and tried not to choke as Russell threw Pam off with negligent ease, her suddenly fragile looking body crashing into one of the bookshelves. "I rescind your invitation," she added instead, though Sophie-Anne had assured her that the exact words didn't matter as long as her intent was clear.

"You stupid girl -" he started to say condescendingly, only to cut off abruptly when the front door sprang open, pushed by a sudden gust of wind, and the first weak rays of morning light hit his back. Steam started to rise from his skin as if he was being cooked over a small flame. He made a gargled sound of rage and lashed out quicker than she could comprehend, his hand closing around her left wrist even as he was forced backwards by that inexplicable, mystical power that bound all vampires to its rule.

The metal cuff bent under his cruel grip, digging painfully into the soft skin of her wrist, and she felt herself wrenched forward as he dragged her along, tightened his hand ever further despite the silver that burned his skin. His fingertips were starting to look scorched, blackened. It hurt, but the pain centered her, made her suddenly feel calm and in control. It was working. She could read it in the panic on his face, hear it in his voice.

Russell was hissing out threats, intermingled with desperate pleas and incredulous questions, spitting out that this wasn't her home, that she shouldn't be able to do this, how was she doing this, he would make her pay, he would pay her anything she wanted, he would rip her to shreds, teach her pain she couldn't even imagine, he would spare her life if only she issued a new invitation. But he was crushing her wrist in his grasp, wrenching and shaking her violently, and most of the words rattled around her without meaning.

"If you kill me, the house will go to my aunt," she pressed out coldly, half in answer to one of his threats. "Get out of my house, Korun."

He hardly registered her use of his real name, though it seemed to her that the wind picked up in force, compelling him backward with more insistence. The panic was written clearly on his distorted features, all the ugliness twisting to the fore.

Pam was suddenly at her side, trying to aide her own futile attempts to free herself from Russell's grasp and prevent her from being dragged along, but even together, and with Pam's liberal use of colloidal silver applied directly to Russell's face and fingers, they were no match for a three-thousand-year-old vampire with the strength of desperation. She felt something snap and pop in her arm, the pain radiating up all the way to her shoulder and down her back.

"Take care of them," Liv gritted out between her teeth, giving a jerky nod in Godric's directions, whose skin was also starting to show signs of being exposed to sunlight. "I've got this."

Her feet skidded uselessly over the floor and her whole left side protested at Russell's rough treatment, but she knew what she had to do. She reached out with her right hand and placed her fingers lightly against the exposed, crumbling bones of his hand. The tidal wave of her vision crashed over her, brutal and inescapable in its simplicity, and the scream tore from her throat, more vicious than a pack of wolves.

The last few moments of Russell's immortal life slipped past before her eyes. She saw how he was thrown back by her scream, paralyzed for a mere second or two by the force of her voice; saw him being pulled inevitably towards the square of pale morning light that was Pam's open front door; saw him trying to hold onto the doorframe and the nubs of his proximal phalanges slip and crumble to dust; saw the wild, scared look in his eyes moments before his body was engulfed in flickering blue-green flames. Saw his ashes twirl away in a soft morning breeze as he ceased to exist.

"Liv! The door!" Pam's shout brought her back to reality, to herself.

She lurched to her feet, stumbled, caught herself against the turned over, broken half of the sofa and almost passed out from the pain when she put pressure on her mangled arm. Broken, she concluded vaguely. She couldn't move her fingers and her flesh was starting to swell and discolor. Pam said her name again, or probably shouted it, but she felt as if she was under water, everything muted and distorted. The door was suddenly just there and she pushed it shut, not even sparing a look outside. She had already seen everything. It seemed almost anticlimactic, she thought vaguely. Over in less than a minute.

When she managed to turn around she saw the battlefield that was Pam's home and knew that it hadn't been so easy, after all. She pulled in a shuddering breath and had to cough at the feeling of splintered glass in her throat, as if the remnants of her scream were still stuck there. Pam was at Eric's side, trying to pull the sword from his shoulder amidst his curses and recriminations, so she dropped down next to Godric, tugging back the blanket Pam must have swept over him.

He looked so young and vulnerable, so much like in her visions, his pale skin marked by bite marks, deep cuts, dark bruises. She felt the sharp sting of tears and bit them back viciously. Godric would be fine. (He had to be.) Russell was dead. (Because of her.) They were safe. (Everything hurt.)

She pulled the blanket further down, noticing the wide stripe of exposed skin across his chest that was covered in second-degree burns. She winced in sympathy and whispered his name, hoping desperately for some kind of a sign that he wasn't dead. When there was no reaction, she hesitantly reached for his hand, lightly curling her fingers over his. She could have wept at the familiar images, at the confirmation that he may be dead but he wouldn't die anytime soon.

Her head cleared a little and when she looked at him again, she saw the first few scratches had already healed, replaced by smooth, unblemished skin. Even the bite marks were starting to look less angry and the bleeding had all but stopped. Godric would be fine.

She released his fingers, carefully placing his hand against his side, and settled in to wait for his return to consciousness. Her left arm felt pleasantly numb, which she knew, intellectually, wasn't a good sign, but which still seemed infinitely preferable to the alternative. She made a very brief attempt to remove the bent metal from her wrist, but even the slightest jostle made black spots dance in front of her eyes and bile rise in her throat. She forced herself to take a few deep breaths, instead, focused on Godric and his healing progress, and then undid the cuff on her right arm with her teeth, if only so that she could touch Godric without accidentally burning him. The chainmail still weighed heavily on her, like a yoke around her neck, and the concentration required for the simple act of breathing allowed her to push other matters into the background. She counted her breaths, the number of Godric's healed wounds and listened with half an ear to Eric and Pam arguing somewhere behind her.

"You had no right," Eric hissed, cutting off whatever Pam had tried to say.

"I don't need your permission to save your fucking life," she snapped right back. "And stop moving, you're only making it worse."

Eric gave a hiss of pain, which was followed by a curse of frustration from Pam, and for a moment everything was quiet except for her own breathing and the strangely loud ticking of the antique grandfather clock that had somehow survived the destruction.

"You disrespected my orders and endangered us all," Eric spoke up again, no less angry for the short pause.

"The only one who endangered us is you! I've been with you for a hundred years and you still expect me to believe you're some infallible god? Think again, Eric, think again. Our plan worked and instead of thanking us, of apologizing for putting us all in danger with your stupid pride, you lash out -"

"Do you even realize what it would have done to Godric if something had happened to Liv?!"

"She's not the one bleeding out on the floor!" Pam retorted hotly. "Fuck, I can't get a good hold. I keep slipping off – Eric, don't you dare pass out on me! Eric, Eric!"

Pam kept saying, shouting his name, but there was no answer. It startled Liv out of her semi-consciousness and after one last quick critical assessment of Godric's slow but steady recovery, she pushed laboriously back to her feet and stumbled over to the other two vampires. Pam was still trying to work the sword out of Eric's shoulder with increasingly frantic desperation, the older vampire lying in a worryingly large pool of his own blood, unresponsive and looking two shakes away from true death.

"We have to get the sword out so that he can heal," Pam explained urgently, pausing to rewrap the piece of cloth she had slung around the blade to protect her hands from the silver and the sharp edges. Liv could now see that the sword's hilt had broken off, making it all but impossible to get enough of a grip to pull it out. Eric's flesh around the bleeding wound was sizzling from being in constant contact with the silver and Liv remembered how the sword's pommel, leaning innocently against Eric's desk, had been higher than her waist. Now it ended just about two hand widths above Eric's shoulder - more than half its length was buried in the ground.

Liv dropped to her knees next to Eric, carefully feeling around the edge of the blade and taking a moment to reassure both Pam and herself that the small touch did not trigger any vision of his future. She slipped her good hand under his shoulder to check the exit wound as well. The sword had pierced his scapula, cutting through bone, skin, muscle, ligament, but thankfully seemed to have missed the joint.

"If we can't pull out the sword, we'll lift him off," she decided, her voice only a whisper but still confident and sure. "Help me fixate his arm against his stomach."

A few blinks of the eye later, Pam had fashioned a makeshift sling out of a silk scarf and bound Eric's arm tightly against his torso.

"Good. Do you think you can lift him on your own?" Liv asked. "I'm afraid I won't be much help."

"I'll manage," Pam declared, calmer now that they had a viable plan.

"Try to keep his shoulder parallel to the floor and your movements smooth and steady," Liv coached her and slid her hand back under Eric's shoulder. "Ready when you are."

Pam nodded and then moved quickly, crouching down so that she was all but straddling Eric's broad chest, curled her delicate hands firmly under his armpits and around his ribcage and started to hoist him up as easily as if he was made of styrofoam.

It was going well, everything according to plan, until it wasn't. Liv was focused on trying to keep Eric's shoulder stabilized and making sure the blade didn't bite into his flesh again on the last few inches so she missed the moment when Eric came back alive. Later, much later, she would marvel that Pam and Eric somehow both kept their balance and avoided an uncomfortable repetition of this whole fiasco. But her own luck had run out.

It all happened too fast, the exact sequence of events lost to her at the fait accompli of Eric's fangs piercing her femoral artery, his arm across her stomach pressing her into the floor, the pain from her arm robbing her breath, images of his past invading what remained of her sensible mind. Hämnd. Hämnd. Hämnd.

She wanted to scream, to throw Eric back as she had managed with Russell, but all that came out was a weak keen, expelled with her last breath before her lungs seized and everything shuttered into darkness and pain.

v---v

She came awake with a gasp, tried to draw in some much needed air and choked on the slick drip of blood down her throat. Her heart was pounding at a panicked, unnatural pace, as if someone had given her an intracardiac shot of adrenaline – with the dosage for someone twice her size. It took her a while longer to register Godric murmuring soothingly in her ear, his hands resting gently on her arms.

"Shh, take it easy. Slow breaths now. You're okay. I've got you."

"Wha-" she broke off with a cough, noting the taste of blood in her mouth again. Her eyes felt crusted with dried tears and she had to blink them a few times to clear her vision and be able to focus on Godric.

He still looked slightly sickly to her, an ashy hue to his normally flawless complexion, dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn't slept for days. But his wounds and injuries had healed, from the smaller scratches and bruises to the severe burns on his stomach and the deep bite marks on his neck. She smiled despite herself, more relieved than she could put into words to see him alert and reasonably healthy. Godric returned her smile fleetingly, some of the same relief in his eyes, and helped her to sit up with his usual tenderness.

She glanced to Eric next, finding him and Pam stood a few paces away. Pam's face was still covered in blood, the cut on her forehead still red and vicious; a drop of blood was trailing down from her nose. Eric, in contrast, looked positively in the pink, his cheeks rosy and his wounds completely healed, only the copious amount of blood smeared across his shoulder, torso and arm belying the damage that had been there.

He said her name, a complicated mixture of remorse and reproach in his expression, and she snapped her gaze away, quite sure that she wouldn't be able to stomach anything else today, perhaps not even an apology. Instead she hesitantly brought her fingers to the inside of her thigh, only feeling soft, unblemished skin under the ripped fabric of her leggings, which at least answered one question.

"You gave me your blood," she said to Godric, not sure how to feel about it after all of his warnings, though the absence of pain from her previously mangled left arm was certainly a relief.

"You weren't breathing. A moment longer and your heart would have stopped," Godric explained softly, empathically. "You shouldn't have come here. You almost died, Liv."

"You're not seriously blaming me for that," Liv said incredulously, seeing Eric shift slightly in her peripheral vision. She pushed to her feet, jittery with a strange energy and not particularly comfortable with having Eric looming over her.

"I asked you to let us handle this," Godric argued. "Not come here without my knowledge."

"I'm…" Liv started, but then swallowed the apology that had already been on her lips as she remembered the worry, panic and desperation that had been her constant companions in these last few days. The rage felt unfamiliar to her, almost foreign, but she was too exhausted – mentally if not physically – to be anything but appreciative of the strength it lent her.

"You know what, no, I'm **not** sorry. I'm **not** going to apologize. I tried to tell you; I tried to talk to you. I warned you and I begged and I pleaded and I honestly don't know what else I could have said or done to make you actually **listen** to me." She harshly wiped at her wet cheeks. "You were going to die. I had to do something."

"You don't know that," Godric protested. "Liv -"

"No, **you** don't," Liv snapped back. "You have no idea how much I wanted to be wrong, just once, just this one time. But I knew… I knew." She broke off, her throat clogged by everything she didn't have the words to express and her eyes burning with angry tears. "You would have died, and we saved you. Those are the facts. So you can continue nursing your wounded prides and acting like idiots. Or you can admit that you were wrong and deal with it. It's your decision, but I'm not going to stand here and let you berate me." She turned away quickly before her anger could give out completely and strode towards the door.

"Cridiíon imon." Godric reached the door before she did, of course, not exactly blocking it, but sending her a plaintive look.

"No, Godric, I mean it," Liv said, forcing herself to speak calmly. "I love you, okay? Always. So don't you dare do anything else stupid before you've apologized for this. That goes for both of you."

She threw Eric a quick look before focusing back on Godric again, breathing a small sigh of relief when he inclined his head in unhappy agreement. She leaned in to buzz a quick kiss over his cheek, wincing at the brutal image of his past that flashed before her eyes. Maybe she had needed to see it, just to be sure.

"Get some sleep," she told him quietly. "Pam, thanks for everything."

"Take care, Liv," Pam said with smirk that almost looked friendly. "And I'll teach these two some gratitude – even if I have to beat it into them with a stick."

She gave Eric's back a not at all friendly shove and the tall vampire allowed himself to be pushed from the room, leaving Godric and Liv alone for a moment longer. A part of her wished he would just apologize now, so that they could move on, snuggle up somewhere and sleep for the rest of the day and forget this whole thing had ever happened. But he didn't offer her an apology, probably sensing that she would have a hard time accepting it right then, with all the emotions still running hotly through her veins. Instead he rested a careful hand on her hip and pressed a brief kiss into her hair. Then she was alone, the door to the hallway pulled closed behind the three vampires.

She sighed softly, resting her forehead against the reassuringly solid door for a moment. They'd be fine; she'd be fine. She just needed some time to herself, to order her thoughts and digest everything. Her insides felt tied in knots, all her emotions overlapping, twisting together, like the images in her visions. But that too would pass. She just needed to calm down and this feeling of wrongness would dissipate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _FYI, there will be at least two more chapters and I would really like to hear and read your thoughts on this chapter._


	27. Sono andati?

**27\. Sono andati? – La Bohème – Giacomo Puccini**

Eric hesitated in front of the door to the penthouse of the modern high-rise building in downtown Shreveport, wasting a few seconds on smoothing the dark lapels of his suit, considering the large bouquet of white tulips in his left hand, the box of expensive chocolates in his right. He wondered if perhaps he had gone a little overboard. The last thing he wanted was for Liv to feel that he wasn't taking this seriously, that he was mocking her. He shook himself and dismissed these thoughts. Liv understood his sense of humor; she would take his offerings in the slightly teasing, but nonetheless sincere spirit they were intended.

And this issue had to be resolved, now. He had waited for Godric to make the first move, to fix his relationship with Liv so that she would hopefully feel less insecure when Eric approached her. But it had been three days and Godric was still brooding. Eric had drawn the line when Godric had suggested, quite seriously, that Liv might be better off without him. He was not going to let Godric slide down that slope again and he was sure that Liv would not want that either. Enough was enough.

Eric sighed and ran his hand over his jaw, surprised at the hint of stubble he encountered. He must have neglected his twice-weekly shaving routine in all the drama of the last few days. But that was over and done with now, and if he could just get Liv to forgive him and come back home, everything could go back to normal. He rolled his shoulders back and pulled in a slow breath, almost choking on the faint, but unmistakable whiff of blood in the air. Liv's blood. He'd know that intoxicating, sweet smell anywhere. This wasn't good.

He rang the doorbell, pounded his fist against the door and called Liv's name, demanding for her to open the door or let him know that she was all right at least, but there was no answer. Then he heard the softest whimper, much too low for anyone without supernatural hearing. He dropped the gifts he had brought, not even sparing a glance for the confectionary masterpieces that spilled over the floor, the delicate flower stems that broke and bent, and sped over to the clearly marked fire escape. It led to a roof terrace and a set of emergency stairs, the flimsy structure snaking down the building in a zigzagging line. He disregarded the stairs and instead sped around the apartment, peering into the windows and trying to catch a glimpse of his friend.

He almost missed her, wedged as she was in the tiniest space between an inner wall and a bookshelf, her knees folded up to her chest and her face buried against her legs. There was no-one else in the apartment, no-one to harm or threaten her, but also no-one to help.

He knocked on the window pane and called her name, softly at first, so as not to startle her, but when there was no reaction with increasing insistence. Most of his view of her was blocked by a large ottoman and he couldn't see any obvious injuries, but something was clearly wrong. Liv wouldn't ignore him like this. She wouldn't hide and cower away.

He hesitated only a second, clearly able to imagine how unhappy Sophie-Anne would be if he broke her – or rather Hadley's – window. But there would be time to soothe her ire later. He moved a few windows over, just to be sure that Liv wouldn't be hit by any shards of glass, and then put more force behind his next knock. His fist went right through the glass, a spider web of fissures spreading out from the hole before the entire pane splintered from its frame.

"Liv," he called again, surprised and increasingly worried that she hadn't acknowledged him or the sound of breaking glass. The smell of blood was more pronounced now and he could hear her jack-rabbiting heartbeat, the soft whimpered exhalations. "Liv, it's me, Eric. Talk to me, tell me what's wrong. I'd really like to help you. Liv?"

Liv sucked in a hiccoughing breath, half a sob, half something even more painful, still curled into the tiniest possible space. "Hurts." The word was almost unintelligible, followed by a moan and a spasmodic shudder. "Desine, te supplico.(1)"

"Liv, please, invite me in," Eric pleaded, a cold shiver running down his back at the hushed Latin plea. He'd heard it before, too many times. "You need to invite me in."

Another shudder went through Liv's slender frame and she twisted as if to get away from something. For a moment she looked right at him with big, unfocused eyes. Then she curled up again, buried her face behind her hands and knees and screamed. It came out as a muted, drawn-out wail, full of desperation and pain, the shockwaves hardly more than a tremor in the air.

Eric cursed under his breath and sent a call through his bond with Godric, communicating his distress and need for assistance. The way to Liv's side - for whatever good he might be able to do there - was still blocked by the invisible, inexplicable barrier that kept him from entering a human home without permission - the same force that had been Russell's downfall now made him a helpless spectator to Liv's suffering.

He hit his hand against the open window in frustration, almost losing his balance when it went right through the opening. Maybe Liv had whispered an invitation after all, he thought and quickly eeled through the broken window, setting down a respectful distance away from his friend.

"Liv," he called softly again, crouching to be on her level. "Can you talk to me? What can I do to make you feel better?"

Liv only whimpered, twisting away from some unseen threat and breaking out into another quickly stifled scream. The smell of blood got stronger and Eric cursed under his breath when he realized what was happening, that Liv was biting her own hands in an effort to contain her screams. He moved cautiously towards her, as if he was approaching a wounded animal, keeping up a constant stream of soothing murmurs and calling her by her name repeatedly.

"I promise you're safe with me, Liv. I will not hurt you. But you're hurting yourself and I would really like you to stop. It's okay if you need to scream, Liv. We'll fix this. Here, let me just -"

He reached out to pull her hands gently away from her face, but Liv scrambled away, scraping her shin against the furniture and pressing out another plea in Latin.

"Okay, Liv, I won't come any closer. I've called Godric and he will be here soon," Eric murmured, sending another urgent call to his maker. He only received a short buzz of annoyance in reply. Godric could probably feel that he himself wasn't hurt or in any danger and he wasn't willing to give up his brooding just yet.

"No, please, no," Liv moaned, curling back into a ball of misery and seeming to fight for air. "It won't stop. Make it stop."

"Deep breaths, Liv," Eric pleaded, wishing there was a way to bridge this distance between them, to make Liv understand that she wasn't alone and that he was here to help her in any way possible. "Just one deep breath, can you do that for me? For Godric? That's it, yes. Very good, Liv. Now keep breathing, in… out… in… out…"

He made his own breathing slow and audible, glad to see that Liv managed to follow his example after a few tense minutes. Then another shudder went through her slender frame and he could feel the vibrations of her scream, like an electric charge in the air, even as she pressed her hands back against her mouth and muffled most of the sound. The tang of blood became more prominent and though Liv's blunt human teeth probably did comparably little damage, Eric didn't like it at all.

He could still remember his own fangs in Liv's vulnerable flesh, her sweet, life-giving essence on his tongue. (Her weak struggles, her breathless plea.) He hadn't been able to stop himself then, not until Godric had closed his hand around his throat and commanded him as his maker to let her go. But now the thought of drinking her blood was far from his mind and he only wished he could protect her from this pain. Like she had protected all of them.

He looked around, trying to understand what could possibly be triggering her scream, her visions, but it didn't make any sense. She was tucked away into the corner, swaddled head to toe in clothes that left only her face and the tips of her fingers bare, looking as small and fragile as a baby bird. No-one was touching her. She should be safe.

He started to breathe deeply again, trying to encourage Liv to follow his lead. When she seemed reasonably calm and as alert as was probably in the cards right now, he inched a little closer, making sure that Liv knew where he was at all times.

"Can you look at me, little dove?" he asked gently, pleadingly. "Liv, look at me."

Liv gave an uncoordinated jerk, trying, it seemed, to heed his request, but not able to focus her gaze. He didn't know what she was seeing, but it wasn't him, it wasn't this room. It wasn't reality.

"I'm going to come a little closer. Okay, Liv?" he said, moving towards her again. "I'm not going to touch your skin. And I will not hurt you."

Liv's only reply was another jerk, another soft whimper, and Eric decided to act rather than to wait for the next episode. He moved smoothly, reaching Liv's side within less than a second and carefully rested his hand on the breakable wing of her shoulder. He could feel the tension underneath his gentle hold, the tremors that shook her body. Her too quick heartbeat, her gasping breath. The intoxicating fragrance of her blood, the stench of her fear.

He shifted her only minutely, mostly molding his own body around hers, squeezing into the corner with her and carefully bedding her against his chest. Her whimpers and tremors didn't abate, but at least she didn't try to twist away or struggled against his embrace. It was better than he had expected.

There was a small, hard rectangular object in the kangaroo pouch of the oversized hoodie and he shifted a little so that he could slip his hand into her hoodie and extract the cellphone. He punched in Godric's number one-handed, shushing Liv when she issued another desperate plea and gave a louder whimper.

Godric picked up after the fourth ring, something he had never even come close to managing when Eric had called from his own phone, but Eric didn't spare a moment to be annoyed by that, talking over Godric's own softly issued greeting.

"Stop being an ass and get down here. Liv is hurt, din jävla idiot(2)!" He punched the end button without waiting for Godric's reply, and threw the phone down next to him to give Liv his undivided attention once again. She seemed to have settled a little in his loose embrace and he started to run his hand up and down her tense back in a gentle caress, murmuring soft reassurances and trying to get her to uncurl her clenched fingers so that he could assess the damage.

"Let me see your hand, okay, little dove?" he asked softly, carefully grasping her right wrist through the long sleeves of her hoodie and turning her palm upwards. "Shh, don't forget your breathing. Focus on me. Focus on my voice."

He kept up his reassuring murmur, adjusting her in his arms so that he could check on her left hand as well. Her teeth had left deep grooves in her soft flesh, bloody crescent shapes punched into her milky palms, but the bleeding was less severe than he had feared. Liv twisted suddenly, her feet kicking out like the stilts of a newborn colt, and Eric had to grab her a little tighter to keep her from trashing too much and possibly hurting herself.

"Eric?" she whispered hoarsely, jerking again as if to get away from something, but then raised her head and stared at him with the first hint of recognition in her gaze.

"Yes, Liv. I'm here," Eric answered softly, daring to rub soothingly over her back. "Tell me what I can do to help you."

"Eric," she said again, his name almost a sob from her lips. "I need…"

"Anything, Liv," Eric promised, knowing that it was the absolute truth. He would do anything to make Liv feel even a tiny bit better. He owed her that much, at the very least.

She looked up at him, her eyes losing their focus between blinks, making him fear that she would have another episode, that whatever she was seeing would overwhelm her again and break its way in the form of her scream. Instead she snatched for his hand that still rested lightly on her shoulder, curling her fingers around his with surprising strength.

"I don't know what's real," she confessed in a desperate, hushed whisper. "I can't close my eyes. I can't stop seeing."

Her eyes were very wide and very blue in her pale, drawn face, fixed on something beyond mere reality. Eric wished it could be as simple as putting a blindfold over her eyes.

He lightly squeezed her fingers, running his free hand soothing up and down her back and feeling the shivers that still wrecked her petite frame and the too fast pounding of her heart. "This is real, Liv. You and I sitting on the floor of Sophie-Anne's penthouse. There's a breeze from the broken window and the smell of lilies from the bouquet on the dresser next to us. Focus on that. Focus on me."

"'m trying. Too much," Liv whispered, clutching even tighter to his hand. "Don't let go. Please."

"I'm not leaving you alone," Eric promised. "Shh, shh, I've got you. You're safe."

Liv reached up her other hand in reply, her cool, slim fingers coming to rest against his neck as she pressed even closer. Eric curled his own arm protectively around Liv's middle and just held her, huffing soft, unnecessary breaths against her cheek and neck to give her something tangible and real to focus on. And it almost seemed as if she was settling down, her heartbeat slowing to a less frenzied rhythm, her breaths evening out and her tremors becoming more sporadic.

Then Godric slipped through the broken window, only their bond alerting Eric to his presence, and Liv gave a sudden, violent jerk as a blood-curdling scream ripped from her throat. It resounded maddeningly in Eric's head, not quite painful but very, very uncomfortable. She twisted and turned, her legs kicking out uselessly even as she tried to bring her hands up to cover her mouth again. Eric caught her hands in one of his, then quickly released them again when he remembered how violently Liv reacted even under better circumstances to unwanted touch. Instead he gently pulled her entire form back against his chest, slinging his long arms around her and making sure that she didn't bang her limbs against the walls or furniture

"Liv, Liv, calm down," he pleaded, exchanging a quick look with Godric, who was hovering uncertainly at the very edge of the room. "Come back to us."

"Godric," Liv moaned, still mostly unintelligibly. "Stop. Please. Mihi ignosce, domine, clementiam oro.(3)"

"Don't you dare," Eric snapped out, arresting Godric's retreat with his glare. "Nothing stupid until you have apologized to her. Liv was quite clear about that. So you will stay here and help me fix this."

"I'm making it worse," Godric said miserably.

"You're not doing anything to her," Eric argued, keeping his voice soft so as not to upset the woman in his arms. "Something is triggering this constant barrage of visions. No-one was even close to touching her when I found her and still she was almost insensate."

"My blood," Godric answered dully. "She's reliving my past because I gave her my blood. She can't escape these visions because it's inside of her."

Eric cursed under his breath, quickly adjusting his hold on Liv when she suddenly went rigid, then limp, her eyes rolling back in her head as she lost consciousness. "If you hadn't given her your blood she would have died. There was no other option, we both know that. So, please, Godric, what can we do now to help her?"

"She reached out to you?" Godric asked after a brief hesitation.

Eric nodded. "She asked me not to let her go. I don't know what she saw when she touched me, but at least it didn't seem to make her feel worse."

"She always said the visions of your human death were … peaceful. Maybe they're helping to push other images back," Godric offered, taking a cautious step forward but shrinking back hastily when Liv whimpered and twisted violently. "My death lies on the other end of the spectrum. I'm not helping her with my presence."

Eric cursed again, only in his mind this time, when he felt a wave of desolation from Godric. "Maybe not," he admitted, looking up to capture Godric's gaze. "But she would want you here, nonetheless. If only to assure herself that you survived everything she has to see in her visions."

Godric was still and silent for a long moment before he asked, "Have you contacted her aunts? They might have some advice for us. And don't hold her too tightly - you'll leave bruises."

Eric was too relieved that Godric was making active suggestions to point out that he was already handling Liv as carefully as a glass figurine and that a few bruises seemed a relatively small price to pay if Liv would only come back to reality. Godric wouldn't appreciate his pragmatism, he was sure. "I don't have their number. Do you see Liv's phone? I threw it aside earlier."

"You could use mine?" Godric proposed, half-questioningly, sliding the device from his pocket. "Liv said she saved their contact information on it."

Eric nodded and easily caught the cellphone one-handed when Godric threw it to him. The move didn't even jostle Liv. Her forehead was clammy where it rested against his shoulder, her hair tousled and sweaty, her skin sallow and her lips cracked and still sprinkled with blood. She looked infinitely fragile and so painfully human.

When Godric had first come to him with his heretofore unheard of request to teach him how to use his phone because he had met someone, someone special, someone amazing, Eric had been skeptical and more than a little suspicious. But Godric had seemed happy, for the first time in far too long, and Eric hadn't run more than a casual background check on her just to make sure there weren't any obvious red flags.

When he had actually met her - after Godric had gone missing, after the fiasco with the Fellowship of the Sun – she had seemed exactly as beautiful, caring and loyal as advertised, perfectly suited to Godric's more gentle and thoughtful nature, but perhaps a little bland and uninspiring compared to other more vibrant and outspoken characters.

Eric had been content to leave it at that, too worried about the aftermath with the Fellowship and the AVL and the radio silence from Godric to see more in her than a pretty girl with a vaguely interesting ability and a rather meek personality.

But then she had emerged onto that roof like Godric's own personal guardian angel, cajoling, threatening and persuading him into giving life another chance. He couldn't not have liked her after that, even, he thought, if he hadn't received constant interference of Godric's own glowing feelings over their newly reopened bond.

Liv was… _liv_. Life. Ironically perhaps, given her nature and her abilities, but true nonetheless. Her blood had healed the hole in his shoulder in a matter of seconds and filled him with so much energy that he had hardly felt the effects of the sun being high up in the sky, but that was only the smallest part of it. Because underneath her sweet demeanor, she had a spine of steel, an inner strength and calm confidence that informed her words and actions, tempered by a distinct need for harmony and a genuine wish for the people around her to be safe and happy. What was more, she had a way of handling Godric's spells of depression, which were becoming less and less frequent with her good influence, soothing his darker moods without letting him slip farther down the abysses of his mind. And she had done the same for him when they had been in Jackson, the only good thing in that whole godforsaken place, his North Star that had kept him from losing himself completely.

But now she lay like a broken ragdoll in his arms, pale and almost lifeless if not for the tremors that shook her slender body even in unconsciousness. It simply wasn't right. They had to fix this.

He quickly found the contact info for Liv's aunts and dialed the landline number.

"Hello, Beth speaking," Beth answered the phone, sounding slightly out of breath as if she had hastened to pick up. "Godric, is that you? Is Liv with you?"

"Yes, Beth, hello," Godric answered and Eric quickly put the call on speaker so that Beth would actually be able to hear him. "I'm sorry for calling so late, but Liv isn't… she's…"

"She's alive," Eric quickly interjected before Beth could panic. "She's with us and she's safe. But she's not feeling well and we could use your help."

Beth pulled in a fortifying breath. "Thank you, Eric? Now tell me what's wrong, please."

They quickly gave her a rundown of what had happened, the bare minimum of information about the mess with Russell Edgington and Liv's role in his downfall, and then did their best to describe Liv's present condition. Eric did most of the talking, though Godric added some details, proofing how focused he was on Liv and her wellbeing even as he was keeping a more than respectful distance from her.

Beth sighed deeply after they had finished. "She texted us three days ago, what must have been shortly after she left Pam's. Just a short message to let us know that you were all fine and that Russell Edgington was no longer a threat. But we hadn't heard from her since then. You said she's caught in her visions?"

"We believe so. Has something like that ever happened before?" Eric asked, lightly stroking over Liv's side when another shiver of tension wrecked her body.

Beth hesitated a moment, the soft tap-tap of her fingers on a flat surface. "Has she ever talked to you about her mother?"

"Liv told us that she committed suicide when she was six. And that it hadn't been the first attempt," Godric replied carefully.

"That's the abridged version," Beth replied, a hint of old anger in her normally mellow tone before she took a deep, calming breath. "I've seen what a toll these visions have on Liv and how she struggles with them every day. So I understand that Leah might just not have been in a position to look past her own pain and be a mother to her child. I can even understand how she might have felt that suicide was the only way to escape. What I cannot accept, what I cannot forgive, is that she tried to take Liv with her."

"She did what?" Godric asked, so mildly that Beth probably couldn't hear the lurking danger, the boiling anger under the surface.

"Liv was so young and - fortunately, perhaps - she doesn't remember it very clearly," Beth said softly. "And what she does remember, she mostly keeps to herself. She only told me years later that Leah grabbed her hand and tried to drag her into the water. A jogger heard her screams and pulled her out. From what he said, Leah didn't even look back.

"He called the police and an ambulance and they took her to the hospital. They tried sedation first because she couldn't stop screaming her little lungs out. It didn't help. She started to have seizures, slipped in an out of consciousness similar to what you've described just now."

"Should we take Liv to the hospital?" Godric asked, still a little too mildly, though his focus was back on Liv, who had jerked in Eric's arms, her eyes open again, but unseeing, her heart beat too fast, her breathing labored.

"You said her vital signs were good, that she was stable?" Beth asked, waiting for their confirmation before she continued. "Then no." She sighed expansively again and they could hear the soft sound of her running her fingers through her hair. "I know it's not what you want to hear and I wish I had a better answer, but I think she will have to come out of this on her own. Anything the doctors did, anything Iris and I tried in the past only seemed to make it worse for her."

The moment of tense silence was interrupted by the sounds of someone unlocking the front door on Beth's end of the line, followed by a loud, cheerful greeting. "That's Iris. I should probably fill her in. You'll let us know if anything changes, won't you? And I know you'll take good care of her."

"Of course. I won't fail you again, Beth," Godric promised solemnly.

Beth laughed lightly before Eric could mount his own rebuttal. "You haven't failed us, Godric. You're allowed to mess up every once in a while, Liv would be the first to tell you that."

"Liv was very angry, rightly so," Godric replied, looking every bit as young as his human years.

"Is that Godric?" Iris called as she came into the same room as Beth. "What's wrong?"

"I'll tell you later," Beth shushed her before turning back to their call. "What else did she tell you, Godric? What's the last thing she said to you?"

"'Get some sleep'," Godric quoted easily, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"She told you she loved you," Eric reminded him, rolling his eyes when he felt the familiar twinge of incredulous wonder from Godric. "She made a point to remind you of that."

"And she wouldn't have said that if what you did was truly so unforgiveable," Beth told him gently, shushing Iris again when she demanded to know what was going on. "Remember that and give Liv a hug from both of us. She'll get through this."

"Through what?!" Iris demanded with growing frustration and Beth only tacked on a brief goodbye and a last reminder to keep Liv warm and hydrated and to call them if there were any news before she rang off.

Godric moved as soon as the call disconnected, disappearing, then reappearing with a glass of water only a few seconds later. He approached cautiously, hesitating when Liv gave an exhausted whimper and arched painfully, a desperate plea falling from her lips that morphed into a keening wail.

Eric had to capture her by the elbows to stop her from clasping her hands back over her mouth. "Shh, little dove, easy now."

"How can I help her if my very presence pushes her deeper into my past?" Godric whispered, shrinking back to the other side of the room. "She's begging me to stop, Eric, I can't... I don't want to hurt her."

"Then talk to her, tell her that. Remind her that you're here and that what's she's seeing isn't real," Eric said, lightly rubbing over Liv's back and pushing his own feelings over their bond, trying to make Godric understand that he was just as helpless faced with Liv's pain, just as afraid that he might do something to make it worse instead of better. "I think we have to trust in her strength for the rest."

Godric stopped his retreat, as Eric had known he would, unable to leave when Eric and Liv both needed him. He inched a little closer again, freezing into stillness before he came too close, and crouched to be on their level. "Liv… I wish I knew how to help you through this, but I only know one thing: You're strong, stronger than I could ever be and I need you to be strong now, too. You… You're my miracle, cridiíon imon, my salvation, and I don't want to imagine my life without you. So come back, please come back to us."

There was no immediate reaction, nothing beyond the tremors that still shook her body. But Godric kept talking and though Eric was well aware of Godric's feelings in general and on Liv in particular, he found it still rather uncomfortable to be privy to this outpouring of his soul, even more so as the intended audience was in no fit state to reciprocate the sentiments.

Eric's internal clock told him that a good forty minutes had passed before there was even a tentative sign that Liv might be regaining some awareness of her surroundings. Her whimpers quieted and her jerks became more sporadic, more purposeful if still violent, and she started to react, at least non-verbally, to their words. Godric spoke even more gently, more lovingly in response, managing to garner enough of Liv's attention to lead her through a simple breathing exercise. Inhale to the count of 4, hold to the count of 7, exhale to the count of 8. Repeat. Eric followed along, breathing deeply and regularly, and slowly, gradually, Liv's breaths evened out as well.

Liv interrupted Godric's gentle instructions with a softly whispered question of his name.

"Yes, Liv, I'm here," Godric answered immediately, keeping his voice soft and gentle despite his eagerness and palpable relief. "How are you feeling, cridiíon imon? Is there anything we can do?"

"Godric," Liv whispered again, breaking off into a painful sounding cough before she managed to turn her head in Godric's direction and blink hazily at him. "Why are you so far away?"

"Your visions seem to get worse if I come too close," Godric explained with a careful, apologetic smile. "Do you remember what happened?"

Liv closed her eyes again with a shudder, curling up as if she could hide away from her visions and by extension from Eric and Godric.

"Talk to us please, Liv. It hurts to see you in so much pain when we can't do anything to help you," Eric pleaded, ignoring Godric's dirty look. Liv would forgive him for using her concern for their wellbeing in such a manner. And if not, guilting her into responding to them would be the least of his transgressions.

"I came here after… after," Liv began her voice so soft and broken that it was a good thing they had enhanced senses. "I felt… not right, but I thought it was just… normal anxiety or your blood or… something. I thought I'd sleep it off and…"

She broke off with another cough and Eric shifted her in his arms so that he could reach for the water glass Godric had put down on the floor and offer it to Liv. She accepted it gratefully, though her grip was so shaky that Eric had to keep the water from spilling over. Liv took a few sips, coughed again and pushed the glass and Eric's hand away. A veil of pink swirled through the water.

"I dreamt of you," Liv continued, her voice sounding only a little stronger, and looked up at Godric, her heart giving an arrhythmic thump as she absently licked over her lips. It was more telling than her actual description though Godric was certainly a bit pleased. "It was nice, you know? Good and… just good. But then -"

"We weren't alone anymore," Godric finished for her, a tidal wave of pain and guilt rushing over their connection before Godric was able to shield his feelings. "You saw Claudius."

"And Russell," Liv added, stretching her hand in Godric's direction before dropping it with a sigh. "And I couldn't get out, not just of that vision, but of all the others."

"About me?" Godric asked in a pained whisper, but Liv shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. "About the banker two floors down, the cleaning lady, the porter, the homeless man at the corner. About everyone. They all die in so many ways. The visions of you just slipped into the cracks."

Eric winced, mentally. Of course. Godric's blood seemed to have heightened Liv's sensibility and the range of her abilities – that, coupled with the usually more pleasurable effects of their blood, must have made her feel like she was helplessly exposed to all the cruelties of her visions. It was no wonder she had been in such a woeful state.

He held her a little tighter. "Are you feeling better now?"

Liv nodded, resting her cheek against his chest and sighing quietly. "Being close to you helps. You're calm… calmer."

"I'm glad," Eric murmured, offering Liv the water glass again and helping her to take another small, painful looking sip.

"You may have hurt your throat with your screams. And your hands are bleeding. Would you allow Eric to bandage them for you, cridiíon imon?"

Liv uncurled her hands slowly, staring down at her bloody palms blankly for a moment. She shuddered and pressed back against Eric's chest. "I don't remember. What..?"

"You tried to silence your screams with your hands," Eric told her gently, rubbing over her shaking shoulders. "You probably didn't want anyone to get hurt."

"Oh," Liv breathed out, closing her eyes again. "I'm not very good at that."

"You're the best at that," Godric corrected emphatically before Eric could even wrap his mind around Liv's hushed confession. "You saved me, cridiíon imon, more than once. And without you, neither one of us would be here. You saved us and took care of us when we were hurt."

Liv made a complicated sound somewhere between a sniff and a sob and shook her head, her voice becoming even softer, barely a breath of sound. "I killed Russell. This is my punishment."

"No, Liv, no. You didn't kill Russell and you aren't being punished. I gave you my blood. It's because of my blood," Godric pleaded, sliding a little closer on his knees; Liv whimpered, stiffening in Eric's arms. Godric withdrew immediately making a very human sound of helpless frustration. "I'm so sorry, Liv."

"Not your fault," Liv whispered though she had started trembling again.

"And neither is it yours," Eric told her firmly, feeling a new wave of guilt for his misplaced anger towards Liv and Pam for taking Russell's death out of his hands. It had clearly cost Liv even more than he had feared. "You're a good person, Liv. A good friend. And Russell's death is not on you. You need to believe that."

"Eric is right," Godric said, redoubling his usual gentleness. "You did nothing wrong."

"I'm sorry," Liv mumbled. "It just… doesn't feel like it right now."

"You don't have to apologize," Godric assured her. "I failed you. I should have listened to you and -"

"That's enough of that," Eric interrupted Godric, interrupted Liv, who had also opened her mouth, no doubt for a repeat of their earlier back-and-forth. "Let's just agree that you're both experts at blaming yourself for happenstances that are not even remotely your fault."

He softened his words with a wave of affection for Godric and a careful kiss to the top of Liv's head. "Stop being idiots. Or do I have to start worrying about you two again?"

"You never stopped worrying," Godric pointed out and Liv gave a soft chuff of laughter, though something in the way she held herself screamed that she was battling another vision.

"You called me 'little dove' earlier. I like that better than 'idiot'," she whispered and her breath hitched as her posture became rigid again.

"You must have imagined that," Eric said quickly.

Godric furrowed his brow in confusion, oblivious to Eric's very earnest desire not to add to his embarrassment. "You did call her 'little dove'."

Liv huffed out another short laugh before she closed her eyes again and dropped her head heavily back against Eric's chest. "It's okay, pumpkin. I won't tell anyone."

Eric snorted, then bit back on any witty comeback since it would be lost on Godric and Liv both, though for different reasons. Liv had slipped away again, her eyelids fluttering from time to time and her breathing slightly irregular, but overall she seemed to be in a better place – not euphemistically speaking, of course.

"I can feel her now," Godric said, relieved and awed. "She's exhausted and still in pain, but she also feels… safe. With us."

Eric nodded, carefully moving his leg to give her back some additional support. "You couldn't feel her before?"

"I thought she was blocking me, unconsciously perhaps, because she was angry with me," Godric admitted, which at least explained why he had dawdled for so long.

"You're here now," Eric reminded him, feeling, and not liking, the direction of Godric's thoughts. "You helped her find back to herself. To feel safe again."

Godric sent him a reluctant but tender smile and accompanied it with an overwhelming wave of affection, gratitude, admiration - of love, though Eric would never put it in those terms. "Thank you, Eric."

"Let's focus on Liv," Eric said, quite at the end of his tether for all this emotional crap; an unconscious Liv seemed definitely the safer choice.

Godric understood, of course. He was usually very tolerant of Eric's barriers, maybe because he was one of the few people who got to peek behind them. Though perhaps, Eric admitted to himself, he would have to include Liv on that list as well, considering how much she had seen, how much he had shared, how much she must have guessed. Surprisingly, it didn't bother him. It seemed right. Almost a little too right. But he pushed that thought away.

Godric had found a first aid kit somewhere so Eric carefully bandaged Liv's hands. Maybe once Liv had regained control of her abilities, Godric could heal her wounds with a drop of his blood – topically applied, of course - to prevent scarring, but for now they settled back into their vigil. Liv remained unresponsive, not frozen by paralyzing fear as before, just quiet and withdrawn.

v---v

Midnight had long passed when they decided to take Liv home. They had a brief, silent conversation before Eric gently picked her up, getting to his feet.

"Flying will be quickest," he murmured quietly when Liv didn't react to the shift in her position.

"It will also keep her away from humans," Godric added just as softly. "Use the blanket to keep her warm. I'll be right behind you."

Eric obediently picked up the blanket Godric had put over the back of the couch for him, slinging it across Liv's shoulders and tucking it around her legs. The flight home was short and uneventful and after another short debate with Godric, Eric put down Liv on the bed in the guestroom, settling her carefully under the covers. He hesitated, a little lost if his presence would still be welcome, now that Liv was asleep and at peace, far away from any humans who could possibly trigger a vision.

Godric solved his dilemma by enlisting Eric's help in moving the microwave to the guestroom and plugging it back in because he had made Liv some soup and wanted her to be able to warm it up when she woke up again. When that was accomplished and after Eric had introduced Godric to the innovative wonder of an ice box they brought a few more of Godric's culinary creations down to the basement, storing the perishables in the cooler and fitting the rest onto one of the dressers. On Eric's suggestion, Godric also filled a thermos bottle with chamomile tea, adding a bit of honey to soothe her throat.

Since Liv still reacted with soft whimpers or unhappy twists whenever Godric came too close, he reluctantly retreated to the master bedroom and busied himself with drafting what must have been the umpteenth version of an apology letter, mildly suggesting that Eric might want to do the same. But apologizing face-to-face when he could take his cues from Liv's reactions was one thing. Putting pen to paper and having the words stare accusingly back at him, shouting out his mistakes and culpability and spelling out exactly how little he deserved forgiveness was quite another. He pleaded tiredness instead and went to bed.

* * *

(1) Stop, I beg you.

(2) You stupid idiot.

(3) I'm sorry, Master, have mercy.


	28. Clair de Lune

**28\. Clair de Lune – Suite bergamasque - Claude Debussy**

"What are you watching?" Eric asked, slowly moving into the living room where Godric and Liv were curled up on the couch.

From the way Liv was wrapped in the duvet from her bed upstairs, shielded from Godric but still laying in his arms, her head resting on a pillow in his lap, he guessed that Liv's abilities were still not quite back to normal, though her oversensitivity seemed to be cooling down at last. The day before, Godric still had had to keep at least six feet between them or risk triggering another vision, but now they both looked comfortable and happy, watching some kind of animated cartoon on TV, which frankly didn't strike him as either Godric's or Liv's usual type of program.

"Liv found a movie about a rebel village of Gauls who resist Roman occupation. It's very inaccurate," Godric supplied happily. "They just discovered America and concluded that the Earth must be round rather than flat."

"What did you believe?" Liv asked, peering up at Godric with interest.

"I never really thought about it when I was human," Godric answered pensively. "Our village was small but self-sufficient and we only had contact to a few of the neighboring tribes so our interest in the rest of the world was limited. Later, the prevalent belief was that the Earth had to be a disk so I didn't question it. Though, it was rather disappointing when I discovered the truth." Liv made a questioning noise and Godric readily elaborated, "I had quite looked forward to flying around the edge of the world."

Liv gave a little laugh and they shared a smile, looking relaxed and content in each other's arms. Liv had answered Godric's apology letter with a call early the next evening, startling Eric out of his sleep since he had set both of their cellphone ringtones to 'blaringly loud' in case Liv needed to wake them during the day. He had made a point of not listening in on their long, teary conversation, but by the end Godric had been fully exonerated, Liv had extracted from him a promise to stop blaming himself and had slipped in her own apology for her harsh words, for lashing out when she knew that Godric had just been worried and trying to protect her. All in all, he could only hope that his own apology would go over as well.

Speaking of which, he softly cleared his throat. "Liv, might I have a moment of your time, please?"

"Of course," Liv agreed readily, pausing the video and sitting up to give Eric her full attention.

"Thank you," Eric said, sitting down in the armchair so that he wouldn't be looming over her. "Liv, I… Are you feeling better?"

Liv nodded with a reassuring smile that lit up her eyes, defying the still dark circles underneath. "Much better. Thank you for finding me."

"It was nothing," Eric warded off absently, still trying to piece together his apology.

"I felt like I was drowning and you kept me afloat," Liv refuted mildly but firmly. "It was not nothing to me."

"No, of course not. I didn't mean to diminish what you went through, only to say that I'm glad I could help in whatever small way," Eric quickly corrected himself but then winced at how his clarification was perhaps less clear than he had intended. "That is not to imply that I was in any way glad to see you hurt."

"I think I got that," Liv answered gently.

"Good. Good," Eric said, taking an unnecessary, deep breath to try to order his mental processes. "Liv, I hope you know… that is, I need you to know that I take full responsibility for my actions and – why are you laughing?"

He could see that Liv was valiantly trying to bite back her smirk, but the corners of her mouth kept twitching; she finally gave up with a happy grin. "I'm sorry, it's just… Godric was right. Apologizing really isn't your strong suit."

"You have many other fine qualities," Godric assured him without missing a beat and Liv nodded her agreement even though she was still grinning.

Eric huffed, amused despite himself. "Would my chances improve if I got out the props? I skipped the flowers and chocolates this time, but I'd be happy to reequip myself."

"Or you could just give me a hug, say you're sorry and be done with it," Liv suggested softly.

"I can probably manage that," Eric said, standing up and spreading his arms in invitation, carefully gathering Liv's breakable body against his chest when she stepped into his embrace with not even a hint of hesitation. Her courage, her unaccountable faith gave him the push he needed. "I'm truly sorry, Liv. Please, if you can, forgive me."

"Of course I forgive you," Liv murmured, lightly patting his back as if he was the one in need of comfort. "And I'm sorry, too. I know how much avenging your family meant to you."

Eric slowly shook his head and listened to Liv's calm, regular heartbeat for a few moments before he replied, "You were right to remind me that mine wasn't the only family he had murdered, even if I was not ready to listen at the time. And Russell was killed by his own hubris, because he thought humans were so far beneath him, so inconsequential and worthless that they held no power over him anymore. I think my father would have approved - poetic justice, if you will."

"Which is not to say that you're in any way to blame for what happened," Godric added gently with a little pointed glance at Eric that reminded him starkly of Liv's feverish conclusion that her visions were somehow punishment for Russell's death. It had seemed strange to him, absurd even, that anyone might feel guilty about that when he hadn't been anything but viciously pleased (and admittedly, a little disappointed that Russell hadn't died at his own hand). But of course, Liv was cut from a different cloth, some warm and soft material, fine and silky and utterly delicate.

Liv sighed quietly, drawing back from Eric's embrace to sit back down next to Godric, snuggling herself into the protective covers. "Doesn't seem so clear to me, but… I'm glad he's dead. Glad and relieved. My aunts told me that he killed someone on live television?"

"He ripped out a news anchor's heart, spouted his usual supremacist bullshit and all but declared war on humanity," Eric agreed heavily. "The AVL is trying to do damage control of course, but I'm afraid public opinion has quite firmly turned against us. I've had protesters outside my club for the past couple of nights."

"They're afraid," Godric reminded him, carefully wrapping Liv back in his embrace. "And maybe they have the right of it."

"Fear isn't rational and neither is blaming an entire group of people for the actions of one individual, you know that," Liv argued, nudging Godric and smiling up at him until the shadows disappeared from his eyes. "Russell's action might have given all those bigots and hate-mongers their moment of glory, but just because they're braying the loudest right now, it doesn't mean that they speak for the rest of us. They certainly don't speak for me."

"Maybe the AVL should make you their spokesperson," Eric offered, only half joking. "You'd certainly be better at it than Nan Flanagan."

Liv grimaced sympathetically. "She's very much a politician, isn't she? She has all the right answers and arguments, but she's not very… personable. I always feel like she's lecturing a class of unruly children who should know better than to waste her time."

Eric chuckled, finding Liv's description more than a little accurate. "Share that with the queen the next time you see her. It would no doubt amuse her."

"She'd be good at it, I think. I'm sure she could talk circles around anyone," Liv murmured before adding in a light teasing tone, "Besides, she can be quite charming – almost as charming as the two of you."

Godric beamed at that and Eric could feel his almost overwhelming longing to be close to her, touch her, kiss her, make love to her. It messed with his own feelings, confused as they already were, and he shifted a step back, just to remind himself that he was separate, whole unto himself even if parts of him were irreversibly interwoven with Godric, and now with Liv.

"Will you watch the movie with us?" Liv asked, friendly and welcoming and absolutely unaware of his inner turmoil.

"I'll just pour us some drinks, shall I?" Eric offered, thinking it best to make a tactical retreat so that he could get a grip on his emotions again. "In the meantime, you can sign this."

"What is it?" Liv asked, accepting the sheaf of paper he had pulled from the inside pocket of his jacket, glancing only briefly at the document's title page before snapping her gaze up to Eric. "Eric."

"I've decided to update my security system. It's a small adjustment, really, but proven to be very effective," Eric replied, returning Liv's reproachful look with an easy grin. "If you could just sign on the last page? I would consider it a personal favor."

Liv shook her head with a laugh and a good-natured eye roll. "Nice try, but you're not getting out of charging me rent. Besides, you know that was only a ploy so that I could uninvite Russell from Pam's home. We already undid the transfer of title."

"You said you wanted to pay rent so that you wouldn't feel like I'd kick you out if you did something to displease me," Eric argued, gently pushing the gift deed back towards her. "With this, that power is absolutely in your hands. Think about it, you could even charge us rent." He sent her another grin, hoping to scatter her reservations with a joke.

"Or, in other words: This is your home and we want you to feel welcome and safe here. Eric just thought it a nice gesture to put it in writing," Godric corrected softly, drawing Liv's attention and charming an amused smile onto her lips.

Eric rolled his eyes. "If that's how you want to put it – then, yes. Just sign the papers, Liv."

"No, Eric, it's too much," Liv replied, raising her hand when he made to protest. "But if you're really serious about this, I think I could be okay with co-ownership? Something to make this **our** home – not just yours or mine. And I would also like to put it in writing again that you will always be welcome here or anywhere else I'm staying."

"Again?" Eric asked in surprise.

"We put it in the gift deed for Pam's home. Sophie-Anne wasn't sure if the transfer of ownership would automatically rescind all invitations so I wanted to make sure that you guys would be able to stay inside." Liv shrugged lightly, absently rubbing her fingers over her wrist where Russell had grabbed her. "I guess it wasn't necessary."

Godric carefully pulled her a little deeper into his embrace, trying to chase away the bad memories. "It was very thoughtful of you, nonetheless, cridiíon imon. And without it Eric and I would not have been able to enter Sophie-Anne's apartment when you needed us."

Liv sighed, snuggling herself back against Godric's chest and Eric felt another wave of all-consuming love wash through their bond. He jumped up to get away from it, from them. He needed a moment to himself.

"Let me get those drinks." He retreated to the kitchen without waiting for a reply.

v---v

When he came back – with a cup of hot chocolate for Liv and an obligatory bottle of Tru Blood for Godric and him to share – Liv had dozed off. Eric handed the Tru Blood to Godric, set down the cocoa on the coffee table and then claimed the seat next to her. He was careful not to jostle her, but she woke nonetheless and blinked sleepily up at him.

"Godric tells me you haven't been able to eat much so I made you hot chocolate," Eric offered, earning himself a grateful smile.

"My throat still hurts a little," Liv answered, sitting up so she could reach for the cup, though she winced when her palms came in contact with the hot ceramic.

"Won't you let Godric heal your hands?" Eric asked, noticing the deep scabs that ringed the flesh of her palms in the form of her blunt, human teeth.

"We don't know what my blood would do to her right now," Godric demurred sadly. "Liv still can't touch me without triggering her visions."

"It's gotten a lot better, though," Liv reminded him gently. "And in the meantime, we've found other ways, haven't we?"

Godric returned her smile, lightly feathering his hand over her back. "I still wish I could take away your hurts."

"I could use my blood, if you would allow me to do so," Eric offered after a quickly exchanged look with Godric to ask his permission first.

Liv looked at him searchingly, surprise written clearly in her large blue eyes. "You would do that for me?"

"Of course, Liv," Eric said, holding out his hand. "I'd be happy to."

"And you wouldn't mind?" Liv asked of Godric, studying him intently though his approval was clear even before he answered.

"Eric's blood is my blood. Please, Liv, let us heal you."

"Okay." Liv nodded and then trustingly placed her right hand palm-up in Eric's.

He could see that most of the small wounds had started to scab over, but one of the indentations had not healed as well as the others, maybe because it had been deeper or because it had opened again at some inadvertent hand move. He curled his fingers around hers, lightly enough that she could draw back if it became too much for her, and brought his left index finger to his mouth to prick it against his fangs. He checked once more that Liv showed no signs of discomfort and then lightly rubbed his bloody finger over her wounds, watching the skin knit together in a matter of seconds.

"Are you well enough to continue with the other hand?" Eric asked, waiting for Liv to place her left hand into his before repeating the same steps. "There you go. Good as new."

"That'll never stop being amazing," Liv commented with a light smile, taking back her healed hand and tentatively flexing her fingers. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome," Eric said, handing her the cup of hot chocolate again. "Tell us if there is anything else we can do for you."

"Could… could I ask something of you?" Liv said to his surprise, nervously twisting the cup in her hands.

"I promise I will never attack you like that again or drink your blood without your permission," Eric vowed, wanting to give Liv at least this reassurance after she had accepted his apology with so little fuss. "I promise, Liv."

"That's not what I was going to ask," Liv replied softly. "You were hurt – badly hurt - and my blood helped, right? Then you had my permission. You two will always have my permission. Though, you know, next time maybe stop before I pass out, that would be nice."

"I would certainly prefer that as well," Godric said a little stiffly, clearly not quite sure how to interpret Liv's words and her crooked smile; she turned to him immediately, her amusement softening into something more tender and loving.

"My promise stands," Eric said, directing the words at Godric and waiting for his acknowledgement before focusing once again on Liv. "But what was it you wanted to ask of me?"

"It's kind of personal," Liv hedged, then laughed in good humor when Eric gave her a pointed look. "Well, okay, but you don't have to agree. You can tell me to mind my own business and…"

"Liv," Eric admonished her and Liv took another deep breath.

"I have all these memories now, of your parents," she said softly. "And it seems wrong that their lives should be reduced to that when I know how much you loved them, how amazing they must have been. So would you tell me a little more about them? Please?"

It wasn't anything close to what he expected – and he would have definitely preferred some of his own scenarios. The refusal was on the tip of his tongue, a reflex born of the long-worn habit of shielding himself, of burying all his vulnerabilities deep within where no-one could possibly find them. But Liv was looking at him with such disarming openness, a watered-down version of the love and tenderness she usually reserved for Godric, as though she understood and was willing to accept any answer he might give her.

He slowly inclined his head, watching as a brilliant smile lit up her pale face and enfolding her in his arms when she moved in for another hug. "Thank you, Eric."

"Most of the memories of my human life are blurred," Eric cautioned, gently tracing the fragile arch of her spine. "There might not be much I can tell you."

"That's fine," Liv said softly. "I just want them to be remembered for something more than those few moments I saw. They deserve that, don't they? But it doesn't have to be now or even any time soon. Whenever you want to share something I'll be happy to listen."

"I will take you up on that offer," Eric promised, releasing Liv back into Godric's arms though he was almost a little reluctant to part with her comforting warmth.

He waited for Liv to take a sip from her hot chocolate and get settled before he reached for the remote and restarted the movie. It was easy to see why Liv had thought Godric might enjoy it: The Gauls were likable and indomitable, with a magic potion that gave them superhuman strength and ensured they remained ultimately triumphant. And Godric did seem to find it amusing at least, though most of his attention was focused on Liv, even more and doubly so when she fell asleep less than ten minutes later.

"She's still exhausted," Godric murmured, carefully adjusting the duvet around her. "She didn't like that you avoided her these last few nights."

"I wasn't sure if she would feel safe with me, given the circumstances," Eric replied just as softly. "I didn't mean to upset her further, but I had no right to expect that she would want to see me or make it so easy for me to apologize. I don't quite know if I deserve her forgiveness."

"Neither do I," Godric admitted. "I do not know if I deserve her. But then she looks at me with so much love and trust in her eyes and I cannot help but feel that I must have done something right at least to make her believe that I do."

"Of course you have and of course you do," Eric said immediately and perhaps a little more forcefully than he should have; Liv sighed in her sleep, twisting half a turn sideways before subsiding into Godric's careful hold again. "In fact, she might be the only woman to deserve **you**."

Godric smiled in response, a little amused, a little skeptical but overall grateful. "Thank you, Eric. I'm glad you accepted her."

"She makes it easy," Eric gave back. Which was the absolute truth, for the record. His clean, minimalistic designer home had been updated with a mismatched variety of colorful pillows, throw rugs and useless nick-nacks; his bathroom was filled with a frankly baffling array of human and female-specific hygiene products; his fridge and cupboards were overflowing with a sheer endless amount of food he would never be able to enjoy and he had had to start drinking Tru Blood to resist the constant temptation Liv presented, and yet, he didn't mind any of it because Liv had brought a light and lightness back to their lives, to Godric, who was smiling more and brooding less, was showing an active interest in the world around him and was even planning for the future. Thanks to her.

Godric grinned impishly at him as if he had read Eric's thoughts, mirth and happiness dancing in his eyes. "She makes everything easy," he said, tenderly brushing a dark curl behind Liv's ear. "Even living."

And there was really nothing more to add to that.

-THE END-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _That's it, folks, the last chapter of this little story of mine! Thank you all for reading, reviewing and accompanying me on this journey! I hope you enjoyed it at least a little bit!_
> 
> _On another note and not to contradict Eric, of course, I will be adding a little more to this universe - not a sequel, because while I have some ideas I haven't yet figured out how to work them into a cohesive storyline, but more like a timestamp. It's tentatively entitled Heroes of My Heart (though maybe I'll still think of something a little less corny) and I'm hoping to post the first chapter in time for this Halloween._
> 
> _So I hope to "see" you all again very soon and feel free to take this excellent chance to leave a review!_


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